Pence Says Coronavirus Outbreak Could Be Over by Memorial Day

(Bloomberg) -- Vice President Mike Pence said he thinks the U.S. coronavirus outbreak could be over by the nation’s Memorial Day holiday on May 25.

“I truly do believe that if we all continue to do that kind of social distancing and other guidance broadly from federal and state officials, that we’re going to put this coronavirus in the past,” Pence said on Geraldo Rivera’s radio show Friday. “I believe by early June we’re going to see our nation largely past this epidemic.

“I think honestly, if you look at the trends today, that I think by Memorial Day weekend we will have this coronavirus epidemic behind us,” he added.

There have been more than 869,000 cases of the disease in the U.S., home to the world’s largest outbreak, and the total is still increasing. There were more than 29,000 cases reported on Thursday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Just under 50,000 Americans have been killed by the virus since February.

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