Dr. Fauci says it's 'false narrative' to take comfort in low COVID-19 death rates
Warns Americans not to be complacent with virus risks
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dr. Anthony Fauci warned against embracing a "false complacency" as news reports showed a declining death rate for COVID-19.
"[I]t's a false narrative to take comfort in a lower rate of death. There are so many other things that are very dangerous and bad about this virus. Don't get yourself into false complacency," said Fauci, who leads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
He made those comments Tuesday during an event with Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., who warned against relaxing social distancing and other measures in response to falling death rates. Fauci also warned that people could spread the disease before they started experiencing symptoms.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The test will probably be a positive in a couple of days. The incubation period to getting symptoms is about four and a half to five days. The test, which is positive before you even get symptoms often, is called pre-symptomatic capability of transmission, is probably a couple of days," he said.
CONFIRMED CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE US TOP 3 MILLION
On Wednesday, the U.S. reached 3 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus as the nation saw a widening gap between new cases and the disease's mortality rate.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After Fauci's remarks, President Trump touted the virus' low mortality rate in an apparent attempt to shore up confidence in the economy.
"Economy and Jobs are growing MUCH faster than anyone (except me!) expected. Job growth is biggest in history. China Virus Mortality Rate is among the LOWEST of any country. Shaping up for a good third quarter, and a great next year! NASDAQ at new record high, 401k’s way up!!!!" he tweeted on Wednesday.
Prior to that, he attacked the "Fake News" for allegedly not reporting on the U.S.'s low mortality rate.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We have the lowest Mortality Rate in the World. The Fake News should be reporting these most important of facts, but they don’t!" he tweeted on Tuesday.
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When measured both against the number of cases and 100,000 people in the population, the U.S.'s mortality rate ranks behind a long list of other nations -- including Russia, South Africa, and Pakistan. As of Wednesday, Johns Hopkins University reported that the U.S.'s case-fatality ratio reached 4.4 percent while its deaths per 100,000 population reached 40.19.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News' inquiry on this issue.