Trump Lists "Ending The COVID-19 Pandemic" As A First-Term Accomplishment;Also This Week: The US's 7-Day Average Of New Cases Reached An All-Time High

White House lists ending Covid-19 pandemic as an accomplishment despite cases spiking to record levels https://t.co/AXpoJgGQuU pic.twitter.com/7rR0ZPc5rV

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 28, 2020

Caroline Kelly, CNN, October 28, 2020:

The White House included ending the coronavirus pandemic on a list of the Trump administration's science and technology accomplishments, despite nearly half a million Americans tested positive for Covid-19 in just the last week.

A White House Office of Science and Technology Policy news release made the claim in announcing a document highlighting the administration's science and technology achievements over the past four years.

"Highlights include: ENDING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC," the news release sent to reporters read. "From the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Administration has taken decisive actions to engage scientists and health professionals in academia, industry, and government to understand, treat, and defeat the disease."

When asked for comment on including ending the pandemic among the administration's first term accomplishments . . . White House communications director Alyssa Farah said the release was "poorly worded."

"The intent was to say that it is our goal to end the virus. But what I would say is this: because of the President's leadership, we are rounding the corner on the virus," she added.

The news release comes as the country reports the largest number of daily cases seen to date. The seven-day average of daily new cases reached an all-time high of 68,767 on Sunday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. . . .

The abysmal week was marked by the two worst days of daily new cases reported since the pandemic began. More than 83,000 new cases were reported both Friday and Saturday, and the seven-day average of new Covid-19 cases has soared 23% in the past week, according to Johns Hopkins data on Monday. The seven-day average of new tests performed, meanwhile, has risen only 2.87% over the past week, according to the Covid Tracking Project. . . .

New cases are also being seen within the administration itself. At least five aides to Vice President Mike Pence, including his bodyman and his chief of staff, Marc Short, tested positive for coronavirus in recent days . . . 

"This is what's happening right now in this country and as far as I'm concerned, it's the only news story in this country - is that while coronavirus cases are spiking, this president is acting more irresponsibly than literally anyone" - @Timodc w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/lQ7atWHhAo

— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) October 28, 2020

Healthcare plan? Trump doesn’t even have a campaign bus plan.

— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) October 28, 2020