CDC: 'coronavirus is inevitable.' Trump: 'not inevitable.'

There are now 80,000 confirmed cases of Coronavirus worldwide.

A seemingly medicated president Donald J. Trump addressed the nation Wednesday about the growing global outbreak. In meandering and slurred remarks, Trump bizarrely contradicted the Centers for Disease Control scientists who are warning Americans to prepare for the coming of COVID-19 in the USA — wild-eyed orange Don said it’s ‘not inevitable,’ and everything is under control.

Trump told Americans Wednesday night the risk of widespread coronavirus in the USA remained “very low,” and said Vice President Mike Pence is now in charge of the nation’s response to what many fear will shortly be a nationwide health crisis.

From Reuters:

“We’re ready to adapt and we’re ready to do whatever we have to as the disease spreads, if it spreads,” he said, adding the spread of the virus in the United States was not “inevitable.”

“It probably will, it possibly will. It could be at a very small level, or it could be at a larger level. Whatever happens we’re totally prepared,” he said.

Public health officials on Wednesday warned Americans to prepare for more coronavirus cases and New York City announced plans to provide up to 1,200 hospital beds if needed as U.S. stock markets fell for the fifth consecutive day. (…) U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the United States has 59 coronavirus cases, including 42 American passengers repatriated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Japan.

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Trump reassures Americans coronavirus risk is low, puts Pence in charge of U.S. response

[IMAGES: Unedited but tightly cropped iPhone snapshots of Trump addressing the nation on the coronavirus threat, Wednesday evening.]