China dares Pompeo to ‘prove’ Covid originated in Wuhan lab

Beijing, May 6

China on Wednesday dared US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to show “enormous evidence” he claimed to have to prove that the novel coronavirus originated from a lab in Wuhan and said he has no evidence to back up his claims.

On May 3, Pompeo said that the US has “enormous evidence” to show that the coronavirus began in the Wuhan Institute of Virology and Beijing has refused to give international scientists access to learn what happened.

“He (Pompeo) said ‘enormous evidence’. Then show us,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here.

“Pompeo cannot present any evidence because he does not have any,” Hua said. “This matter should be handled by scientists and professionals instead of politicians out of their domestic political need”. She said the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that the US has not presented any evidence to it so far to back up its claims.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo renewed his aggressive criticism of China over its handling of the coronavirus, saying it could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives and spared the world an economic downturn if it had been more transparent.

“They knew. China could have prevented the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide,” Pompeo said. “China could have spared the world a descent into global economic malaise. They had a choice but instead – instead – China covered up the outbreak in Wuhan.” — Agencies

US in next stage of battle, curve has flattened: Trump

Washington: Asserting that the United States has flattened the curve on coronavirus, President Donald Trump said the country is now in the next stage of the battle, which is a “very safe phased and gradual reopening”.

“Thanks to the profound commitment of our citizens, we have flattened the curve and countless American lives have been saved. Our country is now in the next stage of the battle. A very safe, phased and gradual reopening of our country,” Trump said in his remarks at Honeywell International in Phoenix. There has been a sharp decline in the number of new cases and deaths in the country in the last one week, prompting Trump to say that the country has been able to flatten the curve. This pandemic, he said, has underscored the vital importance of reassuring US supply chains and constructing a powerful domestic manufacturing base. Meanwhile, the new confirmed infections per day in the US exceed 20,000, and deaths per day are well over 1,000.

Russia’s Culture Minister tests +ve

MOSCOW: Russia’s Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the TASS news agency cited the minister’s press secretary as saying on Wednesday. Lyubimova has mild symptoms and is continuing to work remotely, conducting meetings online. Meanwhile, it was the fourth consecutive day that cases had risen by more than 10,000 in the country.

90K health workers infected globally

GENEVA: At least 90,000 healthcare workers worldwide are believed to have been infected with COVID-19, and possibly twice that, amid reports of continuing shortages of protective equipment, the International Council of Nurses said on Wednesday. The disease has killed more than 260 nurses, it said, urging authorities to keep more accurate records to help prevent the virus from spreading among staff and patients.