Get testing says Trump, not all agree

GOVERNORS in US states hardest hit by the novel coronavirus sparred with President Donald Trump over his claims they have enough tests and should quickly reopen their economies as more protests are planned over the extension of stay-at-home orders.

“The administration I think is trying to ramp-up testing, they are doing some things with respect to private labs,” said Republican Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland during a CNN interview. “But to try to push this off, to say the governors have plenty of testing and they should just get to work on testing, somehow we aren’t doing our jobs, is absolutely false.”

Democratic Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia said claims by Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence that states had plenty of tests were “just delusional”.

The region of Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC is still seeing increasing cases even as the epicentre of the US outbreak, New York, has started to see declines. Boston and Chicago are also emerging hot spots with recent surges in cases and deaths.

Several states, including Ohio, Texas and Florida, have said they aim to reopen parts of their economies, perhaps by May 1 or even sooner, but appeared to be staying cautious.

Trump’s guidelines to reopen the economy recommend a state record 14 days of declining case numbers before gradually lifting restrictions. Yet he appeared to encourage protesters who want the measures removed sooner with a series of Twitter posts on Friday, calling for them to “Liberate” Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia, all run by Democratic governors.

The US has by far the world’s largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 730 000 infections and over 39 000 deaths.

Demonstrations to demand an end to stay-at-home measures that have pummelled the US economy have erupted in a few spots in Texas, Wisconsin and the capitals of Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia.

More than 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits in the past month.

Trump had touted a thriving economy as the best case for his re-election in November.

On Saturday, several dozen protesters gathered in the Texas capital of Austin chanting “USA! USA!” and “Let us work!”