Donald Trump tours CDC, praises work on developing tests for coronavirus

President Trump toured the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta on Friday and praised the agency’s work in developing a test for the coronavirus, while a cruise ship with infected passengers off California is being allowed to return to port.

“The testing has been amazing, what they have been able to produce in a short period of time,” the president said. “These scientists are doing a phenomenal job with something that came out of nowhere in very short order. Anybody who wants a test can get a test. We’re prepared for anything.”

He repeated his assertion that the death rate from the virus in the U.S. could be less than 1% because “many of the people that aren’t that sick, don’t report” to a doctor.

“A lot of people aren’t going to doctors, a lot of people aren’t going to hospitals,” the president said.

He said he didn’t think it was an overreaction for groups to cancel large gatherings and conferences, but he hasn’t considered canceling his campaign rallies.

“I haven’t had any problems,” he said.

The president also said a cruise ship will be allowed to dock in San Francisco, although he was inclined against it.

“Our [infection] numbers are going to go up,” he said. “I like the numbers being where they are. I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship.”

But he added that most of the passengers are Americans who need to be brought home.

“I’d rather have them stay on [the ship],” he said. “But I gave them [the task force led by Vice President Mike Pence] the authority to make the decision. I would rather have the numbers [of infected and dead in the U.S.] stay where they are.”

Mr. Pence said later that 21 people on the Grand Princess cruise ship tested positive for coronavirus, including 19 crew members and two passengers, and 24 people tested negative. He said the ship is being allowed to dock at non-commercial pier, where all aboard will be tested.

The president also referred to Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee as “a snake,” after he criticized the administration’s response to the virus. Most of the deaths so far in the U.S. have occurred in Washington state.

“We have a lot of problems with the governor,” Mr. Trump said. Mr. Pence had met with Mr. Inslee on Thursday, and the president said he told Mr. Pence “not to be complimentary of that governor.”

Dr. Steve Monroe, associate director, said the CDC is “in position to scale up production” of the test kits.

He said CDC “has never denied a request” from public-health officials for anyone to be tested. He acknowledged there was a problem initially with the tests, which he attributed to “starting from scratch.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said 4 million tests will be available by the end of next week.

There have been 14 deaths in the U.S. from the coronavirus, and the outbreak has spread to most regions of the country, with more than 240 cases reported. The number of cases worldwide has risen to more than 100,000.

CDC Director Robert Redfield said the risk to the public remains “low.” He said the initial problem with the tests was a “quality control” issue that has since been resolved.

“There’s no doubt we’re going to see more community cases,” Dr. Redfield said. “We are enhancing our surveillance … so we will very accurate eyes on where this virus is.”