'Going In The Wrong Direction': Fauci Tells Warren US Could See 100,000 New Coronavirus Cases Per Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS) -- Dr. Anthony Fauci, America's leading infectious disease expert, said he would not be surprised if the United States starts to see 100,000 new coronavirus cases per day. His prediction came in response to a question from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who asked how many total cases America can expect to see.
"I can't make an accurate prediction, but it is going to be very disturbing, I will guarantee you that," Fauci said at a Senate hearing on Tuesday. "We are now having 40,000-plus new cases a day. I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around, and so I am very concerned."
Back in May, Fauci told Warren that the United States was "going in the right direction" in its attempts to contain the coronavirus. Warren asked Tuesday if that was still the case and whether the country has the pandemic under control.
"I'm very concerned and I'm not satisfied with what's going on, because we're going in the wrong direction," Fauci said. "Clearly, we are not in total control right now."
Coronavirus cases have been rising in 30 states. Florida and Texas have had to roll back their reopening plans because of the surge.
Warren said "thousands more Americans will die and our economy will be brought to its knees" if the current trend continues.
"We can't keep pretending this virus is getting better when it isn't," she said.
