Trump warns 'there will be a lot of death' in coming weeks

Fatalities from complications of the novel COVID-19 coronavirus continue to climb in the United States as several major cities are bracing for their caseload apex in the next week.

The U.S. reported 1,344 deaths from the new coronavirus Saturday, the country's highest number of fatalities in one day since the outbreak began. There are now more than 300,000 confirmed infections nationwide. In his daily White House briefing Saturday, President Trump warned the next couple of weeks would only get more difficult. "There will be a lot of death unfortunately," he said.

Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said the coming weeks were crucial in the fight against the pandemic, urging Americans to adhere to social distancing guidelines. "This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe, and that means everybody doing the six feet distancing, washing your hands," she said.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Birx added that modeling shows metro areas like New York, Detroit, and New Orleans will likely reach the peak of their outbreaks in the next six or seven days. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) also said it looks like his state his about a week away from when its health care system will be stretched thinnest. Read more at CNN and The Wall Street Journal.