The United States Of Emergency

Pence warns country will be like Italy

- Ailbhe Daly

Vice President Mike Pence warned yesterday the US is on the same downward spiral as Italy – where more than 12,000 people have died from Covid-19.

Coronavirus has hit Italy worse than any other country.

Already the death toll stands at 13,155, and its health service is buckling at the knees.

The US population is around five times greater but the effects of coronavirus could be the same. Mr Pence said: “We think Italy may be the most comparable area to the United States at this point.”

For weeks, President Donald Trump and other senior officials in his administration played down the threat the virus posed and insisted it had been, or would be, contained.