U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States was heading into what could be its “toughest” weeks as coronavirus cases swell nationwide, and he warned states not to inflate their needs for critical medical equipment.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States was heading into what could be its “toughest” weeks as coronavirus cases swell nationwide, and he warned states not to inflate their needs for critical medical equipment.
“There will be a lot of death, unfortunately. There will be death,” Trump said in a somber start to his daily briefing on the pandemic.
Trump was joined by U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence, virus task force co-ordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s foremost infection disease expert. Each stood far apart from one another on the small stage.
Trump said the goal was to stay several days ahead of critical medical needs in each state. But he also suggested that states were asking for more medical supplies than they really needed.
“The fears of the shortages have led to inflated requests,” Trump said.
Watch: Trump discusses order of 180 million N95 masks:
In a Saturday press conference, U.S. President Donald Trump said 3M is making 180 million N95 masks for the United States. 2:26
Louisiana officials have said New Orleans is on track to run out of ventilators by next week. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose state is at the epicentre of the national pandemic with over 113,700 confirmed cases as of Saturday morning, has pleaded for ventilators for days and lambasted what he has said is insufficient help from the federal government.
New York is poised to get more than 1,100 ventilators from China and Oregon.
‘We have to vanquish the virus’
Trump also revisited a fami