Trump on Infected Cruises in Limbo: US Must Show 'Humanity'

President Donald Trump says he will speak to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis about the fate of two cruise ships carrying passengers sick with the coronavirus that are hoping to offload passengers in the state.

DeSantis has said the state's healthcare resources are already stretched too thin to take on ships' coronavirus caseload.

But Trump told the coronavirus task force daily briefing: "They're dying on the ship," adding, "I'm going to do what's right. Not only for us, but for humanity."

Holland America’s Zaandam and Rotterdam ships are set to arrive later this week and at least two people on board need emergency attention.

The White House is projecting that between 100,000 to 240,000 people in the U.S. will die from the coronavirus pandemic if social distancing measures continue to be followed.

The projections were presented during a White House briefing Tuesday. They suggest that, if no social distancing measures had been put in place across the country, between 1.5 million to 2.2 million people would have died.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is helping to lead the U.S. effort, says, "As sobering a number as that is, we should be prepared for it." But he says he hopes it will not soar so high.

Trump said, "Every citizen is being called upon to make sacrifices."

The guidelines are similar to the administration's earlier advice that aimed to slow the spread of the virus in two weeks. The president, however, recently announced that he was going to extend the guidelines for another 30 days, giving up his hope to reopen the national economy by Easter.

Trump said: "This is going to be a very painful, very very painful two weeks."

The guidelines call for continued social distancing, staying at home if sick and calling your doctor. People are also urged to refrain from going to restaurants and bars, utilize delivery and takeout food options and protect the elderly, although young people are at risk, too.