The director of the federal Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that he believes 19 or 20 US states have had limited impact from the new coronavirus and their governors believe they may be ready to reopen by President Donald Trump’s May 1 target date.

“There are a number of counties within this country that have not experienced really any coronavirus despite testing,” Robert Redfield said in an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America.

“There are a number of states — 19, 20 states — that really have had limited impact from it. So I think we will see some states that are ready, the governors feel that they’re ready, we’re poised to assist them with that reopening,” Redfield said.