Vice President Pence holds coronavirus task force briefing | USA TODAY

The Coronavirus Task Force will have its first public meeting in almost two months at the Department of Health and Human Services. It will be led by task force head Vice President Mike Pence.

RELATED: Check out more from Coronavirus Chronicles here

As the U.S. hits a new record for daily coronavirus cases, the true number of infections is likely 10 times the number of reported cases, said Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Thursday.

That means officials estimate that 20 million Americans, or 6% of the nation's 331 million people, have actually been infected, meaning the vast majority of the population remains susceptible.

Meanwhile, coronavirus cases are trending upward in about half of U.S. states, and several have reported record-breaking daily new case counts this week, according to Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. reported 39,972 daily cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, a new daily record, according to a database maintained by Johns Hopkins University.

While some states are pushing ahead to the next phase of reopening, Florida and Texas hit pause on their reopening plans Thursday and Texas also suspended elective surgeries in the state's largest counties.

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48 comments

  1. Wow how are they even claiming they made “truly remarkable progress” and how can they even hint the WH has had anything to do with the successes of those States that are doing well?

    1. @A N let me guess you tell people that this is a deadly pandemic and we have to social distance and where masks, but have no problem with the “peaceful” BLM protesting even though they aren’t social distancing.

      You and I both know you don’t believe in leftist BS you’re spouting. You just want to destroy the economy because you’re a communist. You’re not fooling anyone.

    2. @Douglas Rapstine
      Trump is now going to destroy the economy AGAIN because he did not do it right the first time .
      Shut downs are now happening AGAIN , rollbacks of numbers in bars and restaurants are happening right now because that’s where the infections are coming from NOT PROTESTS.
      The numbers are coming from normal people not protecting themselves during normal day life .
      One family had thirty cases of the virus not from protests but from family gatherings .
      WAKE UP out of your TDS.

    3. @A N HahaHa lol lol Hahaha! Do you actually think you are fooling anyone? Seriously!? How dumb do you think people are?

      There is no way you are stupid enough to believe the BS you’re spouting. You just want to destroy the economy. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it.

      I repeat you’re not fooling anyone.

    4. @A N also you do know that TDS stands for Trump derangement syndrome right? It’s a term used to refer to people who have criticism or negative reactions to United States President Donald Trump that are perceived to be irrational, and have little regard towards Trump’s actual policy positions, or actions undertaken by his administration.

      In otherwords it refers to people like you.

    5. @Douglas Rapstine TDS is trump denial syndrome.
      Its for people that deny facts and truths about Trump ..
      This is not about what i think of opening up .even tho i think full closing could have been avoided if Trump and other leaders around the world acted sooner .
      There are videos of EXPERTS saying it will come in by airlines TEN DAYS before Trump acted .
      These people knew this long before that .
      You have nothing left to say . so you point to me as a communist and other BS .
      Trump denial syndrome at it’s best

  2. I can’t even begin to imagine how frustrating it is for anyone to work around this President and this vice president. I have yet to see either one of them wear a face mask in public just at least to set an example for everyone else

    1. I know it is very hard for you to understand that the mask is just a placibo , but as long you feel better good for you. Do some research and read details…

    2. It´s because they´re too arrogant to do it, because it would be a way of accepting that they were wrong.

  3. It is beyond belief how pence and trump can sleep at night seeing how many innocent Americans have died because of their ignorance.

    1. @Douglas Rapstine I totally resonate what you are saying. It’s a shame if every sane human being doesn’t understand the bigger picture.
      The liberals and their communist ideologies just want America to tear itself apart – divide people,stir up hatred and fear and eventually authorize control.

    2. @Murun S I don’t believe Obama was better than trump but I definitely believe Obama is better than joe Biden

  4. Thank you vice president Pence for doing absolutely nothing to help the American people. Also thank you for allowing Trump and the Republican Party to make this pandemic as bad as possible. You are a true patriot.

    1. @Jackie Wilson you must be really smart; why would you test everyone? Has any country tested the entire population? Just ask yourself brainiac

  5. Does anyone out there actually think if part or some of this might sink into Donald Trump’s head. No, probably not.

  6. A week ago pence said rona is over, the press cant even hold this idiot responsible

    1. @gabrielmgabby google it he held a conference. Like u got google n front of u. Lazy people.

  7. Pence: “How important it is for people to listen to what their state and local health officials are directing them to do.” He forgot to add: “Because you’re sure as heck not going to see any guidance from the federal level”.

    1. gabrielmgabby
      I believe you missed my point. What was the purpose of your reply when obviously everyone knows what is meant by “federal level”?

  8. After 1 minute I can’t watch any more of this self-serving, self congratulatory, patronising rubbish.
    And lies, distortions, spin and arrogance.

    1. I don’t think so I think we have a great president and vp. I believe the globalist Liberals are responsible for a lot of the ills in the world

    2. Martin Moyes Same here. Actually, I can’t even do 1 minute. I can stomach 10-15 seconds at best.

  9. Well that was a useless display.

    Also why can’t the president ever speak for himself. It seems like everyone around him has to interpret and speak for him. Or when he does speak they have to try to explain what he meant cause what he says isnt always what he means

  10. BREAKING NEWS: Vladimir Putin just awarded the Order of Lenin medal to Donald Trump and Mike Pence for having killed the most Americans. Ceremony will be in Moscow next week.

    1. Hey moron, do you know governor Cuomo sent all the sick people into nursing homes. Infecting them. Over half the death total Is from nursing homes. Fauci projected millions of deaths. Fauci Is credited with the grant to Wuhan lab. Fauci was given 100 million last year from Bill Gates foundation.

  11. It’s crazy to think countries who are very much so “poorer” than the US has flattened there curve to a point it’s safe to go to sporting events safely and watch soccer and we can’t even watch any sports on TV

  12. The highest daily increase in infections, wow, well done fella. And you still think you are on top of your game?

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