Trump claims 99 per cent of virus cases are harmless

Trump understating danger of virus to people who got it; FDA urged Americans not to back off the federal government’s public health measures urging social distancing and wearing a mask

President Donald Trump is understating the danger of the coronavirus to people who get it, as more and more become infected in the US In his latest of many statements playing down the severity of the pandemic, Trump declared that 99% of cases of COVID-19 are harmless.

That flies in the face of science and of the reality captured by the US death toll of about 130,000. Trump also sounded a dismissive note about the need for breathing machines.

Throughout the pandemic, Trump has declared it under control in the US when it hasn’t been.

His remarks on that subject and more from the past week: Trump: “Now we have tested over 40 million people. But by so doing, we showcases, 99% of which are totally harmless.”

This statement does not reflect the suffering of millions of COVID-19 patients.

The World Health organisation, for one, has said about 20% of those diagnosed with COVID-19 progress to severe disease, including pneumonia and respiratory failure.

Whatever the numbers turn out to be, it’s clear that the threat is not limited to the merest sliver of those who get the disease.

Aside from that, those with mild or no symptoms also can spread the virus to others who are more vulnerable.