As health experts warn of increasing coronavirus cases and encouraged workers to telecommute, President Donald Trump’s chief economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, declared again on Friday that the disease is “contained” and urged Americans: “Stay at work.”

Trump also insisted Friday: “We stopped it,” apparently referring to cases coming in from China.

The men made their comments on the same day that two more coronavirus deaths were reported — in Florida — bringing the national toll to 17.

Their remarks underscored a widening rift. Health experts are warning of a serious outbreak of a dangerous disease and the necessity for immediate, focused action. The president and his officials, however, are claiming that the threat has largely been quelled.

Kudlow, who has no known background in medical science, said on CNBC that the coronavirus “frankly, so far ... looks relatively contained.”

He also said it was “contained ... pretty close to airtight” last month when the number of cases was a fraction of the current toll.

Kudlow urged Americans to “stay at work.” He told CNBC anchor David Faber: “I’m saying we should not overreact. In many ways, America should stay at work. We should stay at work.”

In the U.S., COVID-19 is now being passed via community transmission, which means its spread can be extremely difficult to contain.

A Westchester lawyer who was in serious condition with the new coronavirus in a New York City hospital was commuting daily to work in Manhattan until he became ill. At least 28 other cases have been linked to him so far, The Business Insider reported Friday.

A total of more than 2,770 people are now under self-quarantine for the illness in New York City alone for symptoms or contacts, The New York Times reported Friday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging workers to telecommute if possible, and to definitely stay home and not go to work with suspected coronavirus symptoms, no matter how mild, because they could spread the disease and threaten lives. Some businesses and organizations have shut offices to help stop the spread of the disease, while others are experimenting with telecommuting before it’s necessary.

Trump on Thursday also claimed most people with the disease would suffer few ill effects and could continue working — though he said in a tweet later that he wasn’t encouraging people to go to work sick.

Sticking with the administration’s narrative, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway also insisted Friday that the virus was “contained.” Challenged by a Fox News reporter, who pointed out that cases are increasing, Conway snapped: “Are you a doctor?”