Here is what we know.

Right now.

The number of cases has climbed past 100,000 more than 100 countries.

Italy announced overnight that the northern region of that country is now on lock down, affecting 1/4 of the population in the heart of its economy.

Here at home, the virus is spreading coast to coast cases in more than 30 states.

At least nine governors have declared states of emergency more than 400 confirmed cases in the U.

S.

At least 19 deaths and the economic impact spreading beyond Wall Street, with more events canceled, schools closing, travel restricted and major companies urging employees to work from home.

So we begin this morning with Dr Ben Carson, HUD secretary and a member of President Trump's Corona Virus Task Force Secretary Carson.

Thank you for joining us this morning.

There is so much evidence mounting that this virus is moving faster than measures to contain it here in the U.

S.

One expert told the American Hospital Association.

They close to 100 million Americans could eventually be infected with the virus.

You've said you want to be transparent that you don't want to sugar coat the news.

Should Americans be braced for these kinds of numbers?

There's no question that we should be informed about how we should manage our own lives.

It's very important for people to understand that this virus is like other viruses should be treated the same way.

So we have flu seasons that come up frequently, and they're certain precautions that you take during that time to make sure that you don't contract the virus.

Bear in mind that there's certain segment of our society that's particularly vulnerable.

Those with include people who have underlying medical conditions and elderly and particularly elderly, who have underlying medical conditions.

And so certain precautions should be taken.

If we take those precautions, then we have much more ability to contain the spread of the disease.

Also, it's very important for people to understand that the vast majority of people who actually contract the virus are only going to have flu like symptoms or less.

Many of them will be asymptomatic altogether.

So you know, there's a little bit of of exaggeration in terms of what happens if you control, but that's not that's not what I was asking.

I think those are important caution to mention right there, but isn't an exaggeration to say that up to 100 million people could be affected in trying to get a sense of your view on the magnitude of this possible crisis.

I think it's possible for large numbers of people.

There's no question that more people will be detected as we do more testing.

Um, but you can look ATT, worst case scenarios.

You can look at best case scenarios.

That thing that needs to be understood is that we are working very hard, looking at all the evidence on a day by day basis, making recommendations based on that.

And we need to be working together federal, state and local health officials and the medical professionals who are very good in this country, by the way.

And they're the ones who are making the determination about who needs to be tested well.

And there are questions about the availability of the test, a CZ well, as the president said that anyone can get it if they wanted it turns out that is gonna be weeks before everyone has access to a test, and Governor Cuomo here in New York was complaining about the bottlenecks in the testing.

Let's listen.

C.

D.

C.

Is a bottleneck for this nation.

In doing the testing, you go to see D.

C.

The tests have to go back to Atlanta.

They have to do the tests.

They have to send it back.

I believe the CD slee CDC was caught flat footed.

I believe they're slow in their response, and I believe they're slowing down the state.

What's your response to Governor Cuomo?

What kind of assurances can you provide the tests around the way?

Well, uh, over a 1,000,000 tests were shipped out already this past week.

Tomorrow, another 640,000 will be available on those air, only the ones that are being dealt with on a federal official level.

They're also test being created by the veterans hospitals, and most of the academic centers have them.

So they're a lot of tests, but the key thing is, everybody doesn't need a test.

And that should be something that should be determined by the medical professionals who are administering.

The test is, you know, the Grand Princesses docking.

The cruise ship is docking in Oakland tomorrow What plan is in place to deal with the 3500 people on board?

Uh, the cruise ship, uh, personnel.

And as you know, Vice President met with the CEOs of the major cruise ship companies yesterday, and they are coming up with a plan within 72 hours of that meeting.

Uh, ships docking tomorrow.

The plan will be in place by that time, but I don't I don't want to preview the plan right now.

Shouldn't you be able to do that?

I think I think it needs to all come from a solitary source.

We shouldn't have 16 people saying what the plan is.

Okay, What?

It has a bit of a particularly when it hasn't been fully formulated.

Okay, well, you're the president's represented this morning, but let me move on.

Because the virus also appears to be getting closer to the White House and official Washington.

Someone at the CPAC conference attended by the President has tested positive to people at the APEC conference attended by the vice President.

Several other administration officials of tested positive.

Are you concerned that this could have spread to the president and other top officials in Washington?

Well, We have concerns at all time, and that's why we asked people to sanitize their hands and to take various types of precautions.

So the president does that.

I know the vice president does that.

We all do that.

And if we've been mingling with people, obviously we're going to take those precautions.

Bear in mind that if you go out of the studio today and you shake hands with somebody who has Corona virus, that doesn't mean that you're going to contract Corona virus.

It doesn't mean that you're going to get sick, but it does mean that you decrease your chances significantly if you follow those logical guidelines that have been placed before everyone.

And those guidelines air.

Therefore reason.

You mentioned what people should be doing washing hands.

We all know that right now, sanitizing.

But we all know also that some government committees, they're taking broader measures right now.

We just announced overnight Italy is on lock down in the North.

Major conferences like South by Southwest have been canceled here in the United States, companies like Facebook and Twitter urging employees to work from home if they can.

Is it time for more extensive communitywide measures to contain this virus.

I think it's time for people Thio really indulge themselves and learning about how viruses are spread and to take advantage of that knowledge and determining what their daily activities air going to bay.

And as I said before, it's very important to emphasize their certain groups of people who were much higher risk than the general population.

And they need to take extra consideration in terms of where they're going to be, how they're going to mingle with the society.

And, sir, I get that and we all need to take responsibility for ourselves.

What I'm asking you as a representative, The president is a member of the Corona Virus Task Force.

What should the community be doing?

Is it time for more extensive measures?

We've heard the president say, for example, he's gonna continue with political rallies in the face of this.

Is this sending the right message, or is it time for broader community measures to contain this again?

Uh, going to a rally?

If you're healthy individual and you're taking the precautions that have been placed out there, there's no reason that you shouldn't go, however, if you belong to one of those categories of high risk.

Obviously, you need to think twice about that.

I'm confused by the message you're sending right now.

Dr.

Carson.

I have to say, we just heard yesterday.

The governor of California say it's not a question of when schools they're gonna close.

I mean, if schools are gonna close, But when schools are gonna close, we've seen companies taking responsibility for their employees and saying, Let's have not have any unnecessary travel.

You seem you putting all the responsibility back on individuals saying that they should be thinking for themselves.

I'm trying to ask you what, in the view of the government experts right now, what broader measures need to be taken, those recommendations will be coming out from the CDC.

They're being evaluated on a daily basis.

Right now, the recommendation is, as I just prescribed, go about your normal daily activities.

If you are healthy.

If you are not healthy, think very seriously about attending places where there are crowds.

Dr.

Carson, Thanks for your time this morning.

Hi, everyone.

George Stephanopoulos here.

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