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Embassy: First US Citizen Dies of Coronavirus in Wuhan

VOA News

   A U.S. citizen in Wuhan, China, has died from the new coronavirus,
   officials at the American Embassy in Beijing said Saturday.

   The embassy said that the 60-year-old American died Feb. 6at Jinyintan
   Hospitalin Wuhan. A Japanese citizen is also reported to have died in
   Wuhan of viral pneumonia, likely caused by the coronavirus, although
   that has not been confirmed.

   The United States says it offering up to $100 million to China and
   other countries affected by the deadly coronavirus to combat its
   spread, as the death toll rises in China to 722.

   U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the announcement Friday.

   "This commitment -- along with the hundreds of millions generously
   donated by the American private sector -- demonstrates strong U.S.
   leadership in response to the outbreak," he said.

   Trump praises Xi

   Earlier in the day, U.S. President Donald Trump praised Chinese
   President Xi Jinping's efforts to combat the coronavirus as Xi
   facedmounting domestic criticism following the virus-related death of a
   physician who issued an early warning about the outbreak.

   After a Friday telephone conversation with Xi, Trump praised China's
   response and said Xi was leading "what will be a very successful
   operation." Trump then continued to applaud Xi on Twitter, describing
   him as "strong, sharp and powerfully focused."

   "Great discipline is taking place in China, as President Xi strongly
   leads what will be a very successful operation. We are working closely
   with China to help!" Trump added.

     Just had a long and very good conversation by phone with President
     Xi of China. He is strong, sharp and powerfully focused on leading
     the counterattack on the Coronavirus. He feels they are doing very
     well, even building hospitals in a matter of only days. Nothing is
     easy, but...
     -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) [1]February 7, 2020

   China's official account of Friday's conversation did not include
   references to Chinese complaints of the Trump administration's reaction
   to the outbreak that included being the first country to close its
   diplomatic office in Wuhan and order diplomats to leave the country.

   Anger at doctor's death

   The death of a Chinese doctor who was censored by Communist Party
   authorities after warning of a new, then-unidentified virus in December
   has triggered an outpouring of online anger at party authorities for
   its tight control on information about the crisis.

   Police had accused Dr. Li Wenliang, who died Friday morning local time
   at Wuhan Central Hospital, of "spreading rumors online" and "severely
   disrupting social order."

References

   1. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1225728755248828416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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