From BBC

A top health official in the US says that the testing system for coronavirus is currently failing.

“The system is not really geared to what we need right now… let’s admit it,” said Dr Anthony Fauci from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The government has come under fire as the US has conducted far fewer tests than many other affected countries.

There are currently more than 1,300 confirmed cases of the virus in the US.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said that the US had “a tremendous testing set up where people coming in have to be tested”. However, he did not give further details, and there has not been routine testing for the virus in the US.

How many tests are being done in the US?

In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence could not confirm how many Americans had been tested for the virus, saying he “would leave that to the experts”.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of at least 11,079 people in the US have been tested since January. However, government officials say they do not know the whole number, because some tests are being conducted by private hospitals and laboratories that have not been reporting in to the CDC.

By contrast, South Korea has tested more than 210,000 people and is testing nearly 20,000 people every day, while in the UK, more than 29,700 people have been tested, and more than 1,000 tests are being carried out per day.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced sweeping travel restrictions on 26 European countries – but was criticised by Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer for not addressing the lack of sufficient coronavirus testing kits.

Republican lawmakers have also expressed frustration, with one senator, James Lankford saying: “We’ve got a long way to go to be able to get rapid, efficient testing.”

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What is happening elsewhere?

In other developments:

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is self-isolating “out of an abundance of caution” after his wife began to show mild symptoms
• The UK has called it “the worst public health crisis for a generation” and advised anyone with a new persistent cough or high temperature to self-isolate for seven days
• Shares around the world have plunged as investors feared world leaders were not responding effectively
• The number of cases in Italy has jumped to more than 15,000
• Schools, colleges and other public facilities in the Republic of Ireland will being closed from 18:00 Thursday local time to 29 March
• India suspended most visas for foreigners until 15 April
• Sporting events, including the Australian Grand Prix, and four football leagues, have been suspended

For more on this story go to; https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51860529