White House predicts up to 240,000 deaths from coronavirus in US

The White House projected between 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the US from the coronavirus, with a peak in fatalities expected over the next two weeks, as the number of confirmed infections in the country is soaring.
The projections, that were presented during a press briefing, were calculated from models using data on how the virus has spread overseas and in hotspots such as New York and New Jersey. 
‘‘As sobering a number as that is, we should be prepared for it,’’ said Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who serves on the White House coronavirus task force, acknowledging that the projections may change based on future data.
Dr Fauci, along with Dr Deborah Birx, coordinator for the task force, both expressed hope that the efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 will result in a lower number of deaths.
The models also suggest that if no mitigation measures had been put in place, between 1.5 million to 2.2 million people would have died in the US.
The US President Donald Trump urged Americans to be prepared for a coming surge in coronavirus cases, warning that the next two weeks will be ‘‘very, very painful.’’ He supported, however, that the country would soon see a ‘‘light at the end of the tunnel.’’
On Sunday Trump announced the extension of the guidelines that urged Americans to, among others, cease social gatherings and work from home, until April 30. The confirmed coronavirus cases in the US topped 188,600, with over 4,000 deaths. New York is the hardest-hit state with nearly 76,000 infections.