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Published 16:54 IST, March 5th 2020

Donald Trump says ‘haven't touched my face in weeks’ amid coronavirus dread

Speaking at a coronavirus briefing with airline chief executive officers on March 4, US President Donald Trump said that he has not touched his face in weeks.

Reported by: Kunal Gaurav
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At a coronavirus briefing with airline chief executive officers, US President Donald Trump said that he has not touched his face in weeks while. When White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx reminded everyone of “common sense” to wash hands regularly and not “touch your face”, Trump quipped, “I haven't touched my face in weeks, in weeks! I miss it!”

However, Trump didn’t miss the opportunity to complain about the administration under former President Barack Obama and said that the last administration made a decision on medical tests that turned out to be “very detrimental”. Trump said that his administration reversed the decision recently so that the testing can take place in a much more “accurate and rapid fashion”.

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“I don’t think we would have made it, but for some reason it was made.  But we’ve undone that decision,” said the US President.

'Best prepared'

Speaking later at the annual legislative summit of the Latino Coalition, Trump said that the “extraordinary success” over the last three years has ensured that the United States is best prepared in the world to address any threat or challenge. He added that they have the most talented people in the world working together to address the epidemic

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“Nowhere is more true than our vigilant and unprecedented effort to right now to protect American for coronavirus,” said Trump.

Read: Donald Trump Calls Mike Bloomberg 'unsanitary' For Licking Fingers, Deletes Tweet Later

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Trump boasted that his administration leapt into action early on and undertook the “quickest and most aggressive” response to a foreign outbreak in modern history. He also talked about the "sweeping travel restrictions" imposed to start quarantines and said that the administration marshalled American industry and science to begin developing a vaccine.

Read: Trump Says US Has 'most Talented' People To Fight Coronavirus As Cases Rise

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed more than 1,700 new cases of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) outside mainland China while the total number of infected people have exceeded 10,000. The WHO said in its coronavirus disease situation report that the total number of confirmed cases outside China had increased by 1,792 to 10,566 in 72 countries.

Read: Coronavirus: Delhi Govt Orders Closure Of All Primary Schools Till March 31

Read: CM Uddhav Prays 'Coronavirus Gets Burnt In Holi Fire'; Assures 'ready To Deal With It'

16:54 IST, March 5th 2020