Trump calls COVID 'plague from China', laments it entered US just after 'new trade deal'

US President Donald Trump renewed his attack on Beijing over the coronavirus outbreak, saying the “plague from China” should have never happened. During the Spirit of America Showcase in the Grand Foyer of the White House, Trump said the virus entered the United States when the administration had just signed a “brand new trade deal” with China.

“Following the arrival of the plague from China — and that’s what it is; it’s a plague and it should have never happened...We just signed a brand-new trade deal, and the ink wasn’t even dry when this came over,” said the US President.

It’s not the first time when Trump has used the term to describe the virus and the pandemic while holding China responsible for it. Last month, Trump called the novel coronavirus “Kung Flu”, blaming China for the deadly outbreak across the globe. Addressing an election rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Trump said that COVID-19 has more names than any other disease in history and he can name different versions of it.

"I can name - Kung flu. I can name 19 different versions of names. Many calls it a virus, which it is. Many calls it a flu. What difference. I think we have 19 or 20 versions of the name," said Trump, playing around the term “Kung Fu” which is a Chinese martial arts practice.

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'Use appropriate language'

Michael Ryan, Executive Director of WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said last week that the UN agency would like to have a respectful discourse over coronavirus pandemic. During a virtual briefing, Ryan said that the WHO obviously wants to have an international discourse that's based on mutual respect.

“And, in that sense, we encourage all people at all levels and in all countries to use language that is appropriate, respectful and is not associated with any connotations that are negative," said the WHO official.

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