Trump: US coronavirus deaths likely to peak in 2 weeks

WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump said Sunday that the death rate in the U.S. from the novel coronavirus would likely hit a peak in two weeks.

"The modeling estimates that the peak in death rate is likely to hit in two weeks," Trump said at a press conference at the White House. "It should start coming down, and hopefully very substantially, from that point."

Trump said the U.S. is extending social distancing through April 30 to curb the spread of the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, shifting his stance on re-opening the country for business by the Easter holiday on April 12.

"Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the war is won. That would be the greatest loss of all," he said at the press conference.

"We will be well on our way to recovery" by June 1, he said.

"A lot of great things will be happening."

As of Sunday evening, at least 2,460 people have died in the U.S. and the number of infections has risen to 140,886 with around 2,661 recoveries, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Although the U.S. has more coronavirus cases than any other country, Italy has the most deaths with 10,779.

The Maryland-based university's data showed worldwide cases at 720,117 with more than 33,900 deaths. Over 149,000 have recovered.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China in December, the virus has spread to 177 countries and regions.