With more than 50,000 deaths caused by the coronavirus, the U.S. has the dubious distinction of leading the world, nearly double the next country.

In response to comments he made Thursday about using disinfectants to treat COVID-19, U.S. President Donald Trump now says he was being sarcastic.

Here's what he said at Thursday's White House task force briefing: 

"I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute… And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning? Because you see it gets inside the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that."

Health experts, including the makers of Lysol, have strongly advised against using disinfectants to treat the virus, saying they are highly toxic and can cause serious harm. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also warning against the use of anti-malaria drugs to treat COVID-19. New studies are raising doubts about the effectiveness of these drugs because of the risk of causing severe heart problems. 

Trump has previously praised the use of these drugs as a fight against the virus. 

On Friday, Trump signed into law the $484 billion relief package for small businesses, hospitals and medical testing. 

U.S. House Democrats are asking the government to "aggressively" assess the country's plans for reopening. 

Some states are beginning to lift restrictions but health experts continue to warn against opening too early. Georgia and Oklahoma have begun to reopen some businesses.