Members of the Coronavirus Task Force, charged with leading the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic, are expected to hold a briefing Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. after the country suffered its deadliest day since the outbreak began. At least 865 people lost their battles with COVID-19 on Tuesday.
President Trump painted a sobering picture of the toll the coronavirus is expected to take on the country, with White House officials projecting 100,000 to 240,000 Americans will die from the illness even if mitigation measures are taken.
How to watch the Coronavirus Task Force briefing today
Mr. Trump announced earlier this week an extension of social distancing guidelines until April 30, and governors in more than half of the states have issued orders for Americans to stay in their homes and nonessential businesses to close.
There were more than 189,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States as of Wednesday, and the death toll has surpassed 4,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.
As public health officials warn it could be months before life in the U.S. can begin to return to normal, House Democrats have started working on a fourth legislative package that would focus on the recovery phase of the epidemic and provide assistance for health care workers. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested the next measure would include an infrastructure component, which seems to have Mr. Trump’s backing.
