US coronavirus cases hit 400,000

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. has passed 400,000, with nearly 13,000 deaths reported as of Wednesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The U.S., the epicenter of the global outbreak, has reported hundreds of thousands more cases than the next most-impacted countries of Spain, Italy, France and Germany.

China, where the virus originated, has reported fewer than 83,000 cases, though the U.S. has accused the country of underreporting its total number of cases and deaths.

“I would be willing to bet they have more cases than we do, but they don’t do the testing like we do,” Trump asserted during the White House coronavirus briefing Tuesday.

The total number of cases and fatalities in the U.S. is expected to rise as the upward trajectory continues. Trump warned over the weekend of a “rough two weeks” ahead.

“This will be probably the toughest week,” he told reporters Saturday.

“There will be a lot of death, unfortunately, but a lot less death than if this wasn’t done,” he added, pointing to the administration’s efforts to combat the virus.

The outbreak in the U.S. has been driven by cases in New York and New Jersey, though cases are quickly spiking in Florida, Louisiana, Michigan and elsewhere.

The pandemic has led to scrutiny of the United States’s preparedness before the virus threat, as well as the administration’s rollout of testing across the country.

Trump was asked Tuesday about newly revealed memos from a top trade adviser warning in January that a potential pandemic could be especially fatal in the country and have major economic consequences.

The president said he had not seen the memos from Peter Navarro, but said it wouldn’t have changed how he handled the outbreak.

“I don’t think it would’ve changed it, because I basically did what the memo said,” Trump said, referring to his decision to restrict travel from China at the end of January.

The coronavirus has caused widespread economic turmoil, sending millions to the unemployment lines as restaurants and bars, hotels and other industries shutter.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Tuesday he thinks the country will be in “good shape” for schools to reopen by the start of the next school year in the fall.

Trump extended federal guidance aimed at helping reduce community spread to be in place until April 30.