President Donald Trump said that data showed the United States has passed the peak of new coronavirus infections, and that he would announce new guidelines for reopening the economy on Thursday.
"The battle continues but the data suggests that the nation has passed the peak on new cases," Mr Trump said in his daily White House news briefing on Wednesday.
"While we must remain vigilant, it is clear that our aggressive strategy is working and very strongly working, I might add," he said.
The coronavirus death toll in the US - the highest in the world - surged past 30,000 on Wednesday after doubling in a week. The number of cases detected has passed 630,000.
The health crisis has hammered the US economy, overshadowing Mr Trump's efforts to win re-election in November.
The Republican president has been pushing to reopen US businesses and end orders that Americans stay home to prevent the spread of the virus. During the lockdown, millions of Americans have lost their jobs and thousands of businesses have been forced to close their doors.
Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force co-oordinator, said data from across the country showed the nation “improving”, but that Americans had to recommit to social distancing to keep up the positive momentum.
Dr Birx said nine states had fewer than 1,000 cases and just a few dozen new cases per day.
The new guidelines are expected to clear the way for an easing of restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while keeping them in place in harder-hit places. The ultimate decisions will remain with state governors.
“We’ll be opening some states much sooner than others,” Mr Trump said Wednesday.
The president claimed on Monday that he had the authority to overrule state governors and order businesses across the country to reopen.
Mr Trump's announcement followed talks throughout Wednesday with American business leaders. Many of whom warned that a dramatic increasing in testing and wider availability of protective equipment would be needed to safely resume their operations, participants in the talks told the Associated Press.
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World deals with Covid-19 pandemic
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Volunteers pose in protective suits at the International Islamic University Malaysia in Gombak, outside Kuala Lumpur. EPA -
US President Donald Trump gestures towards a multimedia presentation created by the White House to defend the president's response to the coronavirus outbreak as he stands beside Vice President Mike Pence during the daily coronavirus task force briefing at the White House in Washington, US. Reuters -
Workers clean the area around the podium before the daily coronavirus outbreak task force briefing at the White House, Washington, US. Reuters -
A 'thank you' message and blue floodlights in honor of health care workers and first responders are visible on the California Tower and Museum of Man in an empty Balboa Park, in San Diego. AP Photo -
A man selling coconuts rides his trishaw across graffiti depicting the coronavirus in Chennai, India. Reuters -
A woman wears a blanket printed with the South African national flag as she queues at the Kwa Mai Mai market in the Johannesburg CBD during a food distribution. AFP -
Commuters wearing face masks sit on a train at the Atocha Station in Madrid as some companies were set to resume operations at the end of a two-weeks halt of all non-essential activity. AFP -
A rickshaw driver carries passengers wearing facemasks past a mural at Lodhi Art District during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown, in New Delhi, India. AFP -
Dutch dj Luc Sarneel surprises the grandfather and grandmother of 23-year-old Djura during the extra edition of Serious Request in Drachten, the Netherlands. AFP -
Construction workers wearing face masks and keeping safe distance walk on a street in Bangkok. AFP -
A patient is transported at the emergency entrance outside Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, New York City, US. Reuters -
Medical staff from the Fundacion Jimenez Diaz Hospital gesture as neighbours applaud from their balconies in support of healthcare workers in Madrid, Spain. Reuters -
A couple hugs in the empty ticketing area at the Narita International Airport near Tokyo. AP Photo -
Russian florists dispose unsold flowers in St. Petersburg, Russia. EPA
