On Sunday, the United States' health secretary Alex Azar said the country has yet to see spikes in COVID-19 cases in areas that have reopened. He later clarified that it is still too early to determine the coronavirus trend. During CNN's State of the Union program, Azar said the health officials haven't reported a spike in cases in places that are opening. However, he revealed authorities recorded spikes in areas that have stayed closed. 

Identifying and reporting COVID-19 cases takes time. Azar urged local governments to observe residents for flu-like symptoms in the general population as well as in the hospital data. He also encouraged health officials to conduct tests on asymptomatic individuals. He cautioned states that reopened early-including Georgia and Florida-to take caution as "it's still early days."    

During the interview, the Health and Human Services Secretary also explained Trump's recent statement, where he claims the U.S. would return to normal with or without a COVID-19 vaccine. Azar said the government is committed to producing and delivering a vaccine to the nation's residents. He claims the vaccine is part of the administration's multi-factorial response program. Other steps would include testing symptomatic cases, finding possible cases and surges, and containing the virus. 

The interview came after the President of the United States, Donald Trump unveiled the government's efforts to finish developing a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year. 

Only a few of the nation's 50 states still observe the strict COVID-19 lockdown measures. Most began allowing some of the businesses and establishments to restart operations. Residents have also been allowed to move more freely. However, only 14 states met the guidelines released by the federal government. 

Texas, one of the first to start reopening its economy, recorded its highest increase in new coronavirus cases on Saturday. According to reports, the Lone Star State reported a total of 1,801 new cases in a single day after the state government lifted the virus restrictions at the end of April. However, it is unclear whether the rapid increase in cases is due to more testing or if the virus is spreading quickly once again. 

In Washington, 53 people displayed symptoms, and two died after they attended a choir rehearsal with an infected person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 87 percent of the choir later tested positive for COVID-19. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said more aggressive testing will allow the health officials to predict the trajectory of the virus. During an interview with CBS, she claims the country has not performed sufficient tests, making it impossible to know the full scope of the challenge the virus has brought to the country. 

The House of Representatives passed the coronavirus bill on Friday. The legislation would provide states with a guide to a successful reopening, including testing, tracing, and treatment. 

The United States has been lagging behind other industrialized nations in testing residents for the virus-a factor many public health officials believe is vital in preventing further outbreaks. 

As of Monday, The United States has reported more than 1,527,600 cases and over 90,978 fatalities. 

Read the latest news from the Americas: