US conducted 1.6 million COVID-19 tests so far; social distancing must: Trump

Team Udayavani, Apr 6, 2020, 7:43 AM IST

Washington: President Donald Trump has said the US has so far conducted 1.6 million coronavirus tests in the nation and urged countrymen to stay at home to maintain social distancing as the death toll due to the deadly COVID-19 infection approached the 10,000 mark.

“The US has so far conducted 1.6 million tests, more than any other country so far. Major disaster declaration has been notified for almost entire country and more than 95 per cent of the US’ 330 million population are under stay-at-home order,” Trump said during a press briefing at the White House on Sunday.

The death toll in the US due to coronavirus on Sunday night crossed 9,500, which is three times more than the number of people who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

More than 3.3 lakh Americans have been infected by coronavirus.

Describing the efforts made by the US against coronavirus as an “all-out military operation, Trump said millions of masks, gloves, protective gears and medical supplies are being bought and rushed to the country from across the world.

“It really is an all-out military operation that we have waged and especially over the last number of weeks. Fifty states and territories have now been approved for major disaster declarations, which is very unusual, Trump said.

Reiterating his push for using Hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug in the fight against coronavirus, Trump said the US has procured some 29 million doses of Hydroxychloroquine tablets to be distributed across the country.

Hydroxycholoroquine is an old and inexpensive drug used to treat malaria.

President Trump on Saturday said that he has sought help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the sale of Hydroxychloroquine tablets ordered by the US to treat the growing number of coronavirus patients in his country, hours after India banned the export of the anti-malarial drug.

Trump also warned that the coming week would be difficult for the people.

The Trump administration has extended social mitigation measures till April 30, a strict implementation of which the White House Coronavirus Task Force asserted would help bring things under control.

In the last seven days, Trump has told reporters that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has airlifted critical supplies and protective equipment from every corner of earth.

“They are coming from all over the planet including from within the United States, where the equipment isn’t as necessary, he said.

“Since last Sunday, cargo planes have delivered almost 300 million gloves, almost eight million masks and three million gowns. Similarly many more fully loaded cargo planes are right now on the way; three big ones landed today and these supplies are being distributed directly to the hospitals and healthcare providers all across the nation,” he said.