Fauci says coronavirus outbreak in U.S. not yet under total control

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a teleconference hearing hosted by a Senate panel on the White House's response to the coronavirus, in Washington D.C., the United States, May 12, 2020. Anthony Fauci, a top expert on infectious diseases in the United States, said on Tuesday that the nation has not had the ongoing coronavirus outbreak under "total control" yet. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Anthony Fauci, a top expert on infectious diseases in the United States, said on Tuesday that the nation has not had the ongoing coronavirus outbreak under "total control" yet.

"If you think we have it completely under control, no we don't," said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during a teleconference hearing hosted by a Senate panel on the White House's response to the coronavirus.

"If you look at the dynamics of the outbreak, we are seeing a diminution of hospitalizations and infections in some places -- such as in New York City, which has plateaued and is starting to come down -- but in other parts of the country, we are seeing spikes," Fauci noted.

A key member of the White House coronavirus task force, Fauci said he thinks the nation is "going in the right direction, but the right direction does not mean we have, by any means, total control of this outbreak."

Fauci also warned that there could be more infections and deaths if there is not an "adequate" response by the United States in the fall.

"We run the risk of having a resurgence. I would hope by that point in time in the fall that we have more than enough to respond adequately, but if we don't, there will be problem," the expert added.

Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Brett Giroir, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, also provided testimony during the hearing.

More than 1.3 million people have been infected with the coronavirus in the United States, with more than 81,000 deaths, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University.