President Donald Trump became irritated over increases in testing and novel coronavirus cases Thursday morning, tweeting that America has more cases because of the number of tests.
Trump began Thursday’s tweet by writing “for the 1/100th time” – a percentage that he was mocked for. He claimed that America has “so many Cases, compared to other countries that haven’t done nearly as well as we have” because “our TESTING is much bigger and better.”
“We have tested 40,000,000 people,” Trump continued. “If we did 20,000,000 instead, Cases would be half, etc. NOT REPORTED!”
For the 1/100th time, the reason we show so many Cases, compared to other countries that haven’t done nearly as well as we have, is that our TESTING is much bigger and better. We have tested 40,000,000 people. If we did 20,000,000 instead, Cases would be half, etc. NOT REPORTED!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2020
In reality, Trump’s reasoning isn’t entirely accurate. While testing has increased in the U.S., the percent increase in cases appears to be largely rising faster than the percent increase in testing, according to a June 15 analysis from The Washington Post. (RELATED: Texas To Pause Further Reopening Amid Spike In Coronavirus Cases)
“In six states — Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming — the seven-day average of new cases has increased since May 31 while the average number of daily tests being conducted has declined, according to data collected by the COVID Tracking Project and the New York Times,” WaPo reported. “In 14 other states, the rate of new cases is increasing faster than the increase in the average number of tests.”