US seeks review of WHO’S virus handling
WASHINGTON: The United States called on the World Health Organisation ( WHO) on Friday to begin work immediately on investigating the source of the novel coronavirus, as well as its handling of the response to the pandemic.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused the agency of being “China centric”, threatened in a tweeted letter to WHO Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday to permanently halt funding if the WHO did not commit to improvements within 30 days, and to reconsider his country’s membership of the agency.
More than 5.12 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide, including 332,0526 deaths, since the virus emerged in the central
The move on Friday adds to efforts already made by the city of Sao Paulo, which had earlier this week brought forward two holidays.
The state of Sao Paulo has 73,739 confirmed cases of COVID-19, nearly one quarter of the country’s total toll, and 5,558 deaths caused by the disease.
Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria, who has clashed often with the president over contain
Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, according to the latest Reuters tally.
The WHO’S executive board of 34 member states, including the United States, held a threehour session on Friday.
Admiral Brett P. Giroir, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health, told the board in a written statement: “As President Trump just made clear in his May 18 letter to Director-general Tedros, there is no time to waste to begin on the reforms needed to ensure such a pandemic never happens again.
“We applaud the call for an impartial, independent, and comprehensive review to be undertaken in consultation with Member States and urge that work begin now,” he said. ment measures, has said the country has to fight both coronavirus and “Bolsonarovirus.”
But Bolsonaro and the governors sounded a
Giroir was referring to a resolution presented by the European Union that was unanimously adopted by the WHO’S annual ministerial assembly of 194 states on Tuesday that called for a thorough evaluation “at the earliest appropriate moment”.
Meanwhile, Trump travelled on Thursday to the crucial US election battleground state of Michigan to visit a Ford Motor Co plant amid tensions with its Democratic governor during the coronavirus pandemic, opting not to wear a protective face mask for the cameras.
Trump toured the Ford plant, which has been recasttoproduceventilatorsandpersonalprotective equipment, and held a roundtable discussion with conciliatory note Thursday as they held a video conference on coordinating the response to the pandemic.
The president called it “a great victory for the Brazilian people.” Doria, for his part, urged unity.
“Brazil needs to be united. If we’re at war, we all face defeat. Let’s go together in peace, Mr President, together for Brazil,” he said.
African-american leaders concerning vulnerable populations hit by the virus. Surrounded by Ford executives wearing masks, Trump told reporters he had put one on out of the view of cameras.
“I had one on before. I wore one in the back area. I didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it,” Trump said.
When asked if Trump was told it was acceptable not to wear a mask in the plant, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford said, “It’s up to him.”
Trump, who has said he is taking a drug not proven effective for the coronavirus after two White House staffers tested positive, did not wear a mask during any of his public events.