Washington DC, March 18: A white House official on Tuesday called coronavirus “Kung Flu”. The controversy erupted on Wednesday after CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang alleged that the official called COVID-19 a “Kung Flu” at her face. However, until now, the White House has not commented on the issue.  Coronavirus in US: Donald Trump Hints at Compensation For Those Hit Economically by 'Onslaught of Chinese Virus'.

Jiang in a tweet said, “This morning a White House official referred to #Coronavirus as the “Kung-Flu” to my face. Makes me wonder what they’re calling it behind my back.” The Donald Trump administration has blamed China time and again for the outbreak of COVID-19. 'Viruses Have No Nationality,' Says UNESCO After Donald Trump's 'Chinese Virus' Tweet on Coronavirus; Know More About Terms Like 'Spanish Flu, Japanese Encephalitis'.

Weijia Jiang's Tweet:

Last week, United States President Donald Trump had called coronavirus a “Chinese Virus” in a tweet. Chinese official criticised Trump for his tweet. After Trump's 'Chinese Virus' tweet, the UNESCO in an apparent dig at the US President, said that viruses had no nationality. In an Oval Office address on March 11, Trump also referred to the deadly virus as a “foreign illness”.

Coronavirus, which originated from Chinese city Wuhan, has now spread to over 145 countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also declared it as a “pandemic”. Meanwhile, over 7,000 people lost their lives due to the deadly virus. China is the most-affected country with over 4,000 deaths reported in the neighbouring country.

On Tuesday, the Chinese government announced a ban on US nationals in China reporting for top American publications. Beijing took the decision in retaliation to the United States imposing curbs on Chinese scribes. A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said Chinese nationals reporting for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post would have to submit their press cards within 10 days after their current tenure expires.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 18, 2020 07:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).