Fauci: United States is "fighting" to get the coronavirus under control and saying otherwise would be wrong

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Dr. Fauci: The president saw the data and understood it 3:27

Washington (CNN) - The country's leading infectious disease expert said Sunday that the United States is "fighting" to get the coronavirus crisis under control and that saying otherwise "would be a false statement."

Dr. Anthony Fauci warned Americans in a CBS interview that "it is going to be a bad week," as there is an escalation in cases, but that "within a week," the number of cases should begin to flatten.

"Are you saying, doctor, despite the deaths that we can see, that mitigation is working and that you have this outbreak under control?" Margaret Brennan of CBS asked Fauci.

• Police in the United States make arrests and apply fines to those who violate social distancing orders

"I won't say we have it under control, Margaret. That would be a false statement. We are fighting to have it under control, and that is the problem that is at the moment, "Fauci replied.

He continued: “The important thing is that what they see is an increase in new cases, which then begin to flatten out. But you won't see the end result of this for days or weeks. "

Fauci said it was crucial that the coronavirus be "globally under control," or it could become a seasonal problem. He also said efforts to get a vaccine and the start of clinical trials hopefully will mean that the United States is more prepared if there is a resurgence of the virus.

Fauci's comments came after a warning from health officials the day before that the next two weeks will be crucial in the fight to stop the spread of the disease.

"The next two weeks are extraordinarily important," Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House response group on the coronavirus, said at a briefing by the team on Saturday. "This is the time not to go to the grocery store, not to go to the pharmacy, but to do everything possible to keep your family and friends safe, and that means everyone stands two meters apart and wash their hands." .

During that briefing, President Donald Trump warned that there will be "a lot of death" in the coming weeks, a sober statement that deviates from his previous focus on the virus and the desire to reopen the country to normal activity.

Trump has tried to project that his administration has the crisis under control in recent weeks, including during a White House briefing in mid-March.

“It is a very contagious virus. Is incredible. But it is something we have tremendous control over, ”he said during the briefing. At that time, the number of cases in the United States had just exceeded 3,000.

Fauci also indicated at the time that the virus was not under control, and said in the same March briefing that "the worst is yet to come."

As of Monday morning, there were more than 338,000 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the United States, and more than 9,600 people had died, according to a count by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.

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