President Donald Trump believes âvirtually nobodyâ is affected by COVID-19, despite the rising death toll and warnings from public health experts.
At his campaign rally on Monday evening in Swanton, Ohio, Trump said, âWe now know the disease. We didnât know it, now we know it.â
Trump told his supporters that the coronavirus âreally affectsâ those who are elderly âwith heart problems and other problems.â
He continued to say, âIn some states, thousands of people â nobody young. Below the age of 18, like, nobody. They have a strong immune system, who knows? Take your hat off to the young, because they have a hell of an immune system.â
Trump then wrongly stated, âBut it affects virtually nobody. Itâs an amazing thing.â
Watch Trumpâs comments below:
The presidentâs remarks come as the U.S. has reported more than 6.8 million positive coronavirus cases. The country has seen nearly 200,000 deaths due to the virus, and roughly 4.3 million reported recoveries.
Though Trump incorrectly claimed the virus âaffects virtually no one,â the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated that âCOVID-19 mortality is higher in persons with underlying medical conditions and in those aged âĽ85 years.â
As of Sept. 16, of all the deaths involving COVID-19, there have been many fewer deaths in younger people than older people, according to CDC statistics. For the age of 15-24, there have been 333 deaths reported, and those between the age of 5-14 there have been 30 deaths reported. This is a contrast to 1,405 deaths of people aged 25-34 and a stark contrast to 56,525 deaths reported of those aged 85 years or older.
Dr. Anthony Fauci â the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases â was asked during Monday nightâs interview on âThe Daily Show with Trevor Noahâ if he was âto rate Americaâs response to the coronavirus on a scale of one to 10.â
Fauci responded, âWe have in this country now, you know, close to 200,000 deaths. We have six million-plus infections. You canât look at that and say thatâs terrific.â
