China was very secretive on virus says Trump CHINA EMBARKS ON CLINICAL TRIAL FOR VIRUS VACCINE

Washington, March 22: President Donald Trump has hit out at China for being “very secretive” in sharing information on its coronavirus outbreak that has claimed over 13,000 lives globally, asserting that the US and the world would have been better prepared if Beijing gave an “advance warning” about the impending crisis.

Speaking at a press briefing here on Saturday, Trump denied reports that the US intelligence reports in January and February had warned of a coming pandemic, saying America did not know about the outbreak until it started coming out publicly.

“Just so you understand, China is not a beneficiary here. China has thousands and thousands of people. China has gone through hell over this. They’ve gone through hell.

I’ve had conversations with (Chinese) President Xi (Jinping). I just wish they could have told us earlier. They knew they had a problem earlier. I wish they could have said that,” Trump said.

For more than a week now, Trump has been addressing the White House press on a daily basis, with each briefing running for more than an hour every day. “China was very secretive (on coronavirus). Very, very secretive. And that's unfortunate,” he told reporters.

Trump reiterated that he greatly respects China and shares a very good relationship with his Chinese counterpart Xi

Beijing, March 22: China has started the first phase of a clinical trial for a novel coronavirus vaccine, records show, as the world’s scientists race to find a way to combat the deadly pathogen.

It comes after US health officials said last week they had started a trial to evaluate a possible vaccine in Seattle.

The Chinese effort began on March 16 — the same day as the US announcement — and is expected to continue until the end of the year, according to a filing in the country’s Clinical Trial Registry, dated March 17.

“Volunteers of the Covid-19 phase one trial have already started receiving the vaccine,” a staff member involved in the government-funded project said on Sunday.

The 108 participants, aged between 18 and 60, will be tested in three groups and given different dosages.

They are all residents of the central city of Wuhan — where the new coronavirus first emerged late last year.

Jinping, but expressed his disappointment that Beinjing was dishonest and slow to alert the world about the seriousness of coronavirus.

— AP