There could be up to 240,000 deaths in the US from coronavirus pandemic: White House

“I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead.We’re going to go through a very tough two weeks,” Donald Trump

 There could be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the US from the coronavirus pandemic even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained, an  Associated Press report said quoting a White House release . 

 President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Americans to brace for a “rough two-week period” ahead.

According to the report, the president called American efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus “a matter of life and death” and urged the public to heed his administration’s guidelines. He predicted the country would soon see a “light at the end of the tunnel” in the pandemic that has killed more than 3,500 Americans and infected 170,000 more.

“I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead,” Trump said. “We’re going to go through a very tough two weeks.”

Public health officials stressed that the number could be less if people change their behavior. “We really believe we can do a lot better than that,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force. That would require all Americans to take seriously their role in preventing the spread of disease, she said, the AP report said.