Contrary to claims made by US President Donald Trump, a draft government report has projected that COVID-19 deaths in the country will rise to more than 3,000 a day by June 1, with new confirmed cases surging to about 200,000 daily.
Trump had on Sunday projected that the US could eventually suffer as many as 100,000 deaths, according to The Washington Post.
But going by what the new report projects, the death toll which has already crossed 65,000 could soon surpass the projections made by the US President.
So far, more than one million cases of coronavirus have been reported in the US.
Meanwhile, several states have relaxed the coronavirus-related restrictions while US senators returned to the Capitol on Monday as the country accelerated its efforts to return to normalcy. Trump has cheered governors on reopening even as they ignore White House guidelines to do so, as per The Washington Post.
Earlier on Sunday, Trump expressed confidence that a vaccine for coronavirus could be available by the end of the year.
"I think we will have a vaccine by the end of the year," he said at a Fox News virtual town hall.
"We will have a vaccine much sooner rather than later," Trump added.
The search for a vaccine for coronavirus infection has already intensified around the globe.
The European Union has pledged to set up an international medical programme to lead the global response to fighting coronavirus with an initial pledge of raising USD 8 billion to find a vaccine and treatment for the pandemic.
In Britain, clinical trials have begun of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by scientists at Oxford University's Jenner Institute.
( With inputs from ANI )