Highest COVID tests done by US, 2nd highest by India: White House

The White House has said that India has done the second largest number of coronavirus tests after the US. It said that US stands first in the world with the highest number of tests at a record 42 million, followed by India at 12 million COVID-19 tests having been carried out.

The White House was responding to questions related to the coronavirus pandemic in the US. “With regard to (the coronavirus) testing, we’ve done more than 42 million tests. The second-highest number is 12 million from India. Were leading the world in testing,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday (July 16).

This record testing, she said, is in a very stark contrast than the previous administration.

CBS is reporting that in 2009 under Obama-Biden, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention abruptly advised states to stop testing for the H1N1 flu and stopped counting individual cases, she said.

Ron Klain, Vice President Biden’s former Chief of Staff said this: It is purely a fortuity that (H1N1) isnt one of the great mass casualty events in American history. It had nothing to do with us doing anything right. This is former VP Biden’s Chief of Staff. It just had to do with luck,” she said.

Contrary to that, this President led the world in testing; led the world in ventilators — redistributing ventilators for therapeutics; 13 vaccine candidates — one going into phase three clinical trial. This response has been extraordinary and historic. We didn’t pause testing; the Obama-Biden administration did, and that was a shameful decision,” McEnany said.

There has been encouraging news on vaccines, the press secretary said.

Moderna’s vaccine candidate is showing promising signs. They produced a positive, neutral immune response among the 45 participants in the study. This is comparable to what we see in recovered patients. The bottom line is that, so far, we are seeing exactly what you would hope to see in a vaccine. The Moderna vaccine in particular is expected to reach phase three by late July, with 30,000 participants.”

More than 3.5 million people have tested positive with the coronavirus and 138,000 died in the US. Globally, more than 13.6 million have tested positive and over 586,000 have died