Published 03:55 IST, May 25th 2020
Coronavirus 'cover-up' by China is similar to Chernobyl disaster: White House adviser
Senior White House official has compared the cover-up done by the Chinese government of COVID-19 pandemic with the handling of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.
- World News
- 2 min read
In the latest development of US-China row over coronavirus outbreak, a senior White House official has compared the cover-up done by the Chinese government of COVID-19 pandemic with the handling of Chernobyl disaster in 1986 by the Soviet Union. In an interview with an international media outlet, White House National Security adviser Robert O’Brien said that China was aware of what was happening with the novel coronavirus as it originated in the country in November, but did not tell the truth to the World Health Organisation (WHO) so that it can formulate the global response to the health crisis.
O’Brien said that the Chinese government “unleashed” a virus on the world that went on to ‘destroy trillions of dollars’ in American wealth that the government has to spend to keep the economy afloat during the outbreak. According to the National Security Adviser, the ‘cover-up’ done by the Asian superpower for the COVID-19 pandemic is ‘going to go down in history, along with Chernobyl’. He added that people will witness an ‘HBO special’ about the ongoing global health crisis about ‘10-15 years from now’.
The Chernobyl disaster occurred in the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine when radioactive nuclear material was released into the environment that resulted in the death of dozens of people within a few weeks. Moreover, thousands of people were forced to leave their houses but Moscow delayed the response by not revealing the actual extent of what turned out to be the ‘worst nuclear accident’ in history.
China denies 'preposterous' allegations by US
The Chinese Foreign Ministry had previously unveiled “Reality Check” of at least 24 “preposterous” allegations that the United States posed at Asian superpower. In the 11,000-word detailed rebuke from US President Donald Trump calling coronavirus as “Chinese Virus”, China took each statement point-by-point. Chinese foreign MInistry gave references to the “truth” and even quoted former US President Abraham Lincoln’s words, "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time".
Updated 03:55 IST, May 25th 2020