AKIPRESS.COM - US President Donald Trump has warned that as many as 100,000 people could die of coronavirus in the US, BBC reports. 

Speaking at a two-hour virtual "town hall", Mr Trump also denied that his administration had acted too slowly.

More than 67,000 people have already died with Covid-19 in the US.

But Mr Trump expressed optimism about the development of a vaccine, saying one would be ready by the end of this year - although public health experts believe it will take 12 to 18 months.

"I think we're going to have a vaccine by the end of the year," he told Fox News. "The doctors would say, well you shouldn't say that. I'll say what I think... I think we'll a vaccine sooner rather than later."

Among the experts to disagree with this optimistic estimate are Dr Anthony Fauci, the US's top infectious disease expert, and England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty.