Trump’s Ex-FDA Chief Dr. Gottlieb Predicts US Coronavirus Deaths Could Top 300,000 By Year’s End

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who served as president of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for two years under President Donald Trump, believes that the number of coronavirus deaths in the U.S. could more than double by the end of the year.

Appearing on CNBC’s Squawk Box Wednesday, Gottlieb noted the latest trends — which show more than 1,000 Americans a day are dying from Covid-19 — and said that if the metrics don’t change, the forecast is dire.

“In the United States, probably by the end of the year we could have upwards of 300,000 if we continue on the current trajectory,” Gottlieb said. He added, “Right now we have close to 1,000 casualties a day; so if we don’t change that trajectory, you could do the math and see where we are towards the end of the year.”

Gottlieb said that while treatment in hospitals has become more effective, the increased number of patients who require hospitalization is likely to lead to a greater amount of fatalities.

“Even if we end up preserving more life in the hospital, which we’re doing, if we end up hospitalizing a whole lot more patients, you’re ultimately going to have a lot of casualties, unfortunately, from this virus.”

Watch above, via CNBC.