Inside Story

Can the United States control its coronavirus outbreak?

Estimates of up to 200,000 deaths in the US as new infections rise.

The World Health Organization has warned the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic could shift to the United States.

Although Italy, Spain and China have higher death tolls, the US now has nearly 165,000 infections – more than anywhere else in the world.

A US naval ship with 1,000 hospital beds has arrived in New York to provide relief to overwhelmed hospitals.

Emergency medical centres have been set up across the country.

However, health workers say they are running out of supplies and testing kits.

President Donald Trump, who has been criticised for downplaying the crisis, said the number of cases would not reach its peak for another two weeks.

The pandemic has become a major political issue.

Can the US prevent the crisis from spiralling out of control?

Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom

Guests:

Julie Fischer – Associate research professor of microbiology and immunology at Georgetown University Medical Center

Dr Peter Drobac – Co-founder and first executive director of the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda

Adam Goodman – US Republican strategist