Trump gives WHO warning over infection handling

US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to the head of the World Health Company (WHO) threatening to pull US funding permanently over Covid-19

The letter describes a 30- day deadline for the body to commit to “substantive improvements” or run the risk of losing millions and US subscription completely.

Addressed to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, it criticises stages of the body’s action given that December.

Previously on Monday, Mr Trump called the UN’s health body a “puppet of China”.

The president, who faces re-election this year and has himself been criticised for his handling of the pandemic, has blamed China for trying to cover the break out and has actually accused the WHO of stopping working to hold Beijing to account.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian stated Mr Trump was attempting to mislead the general public, smear China and “shift the blame for [the US’s] own incompetent response”.

The United States has more than 1.5 countless the world’s 4.8 million verified cases of coronavirus up until now, with more than 90,000 deaths.

Mr Trump’s warning likewise comes at a time of pressure for the WHO.

On Monday Dr Tedros backed an evaluation of the agency’s handling of the pandemic. He stated an independent evaluation would happen “at the earliest proper moment”.

What does the letter say?

Mr Trump released the letter on Twitter on Monday night, following a day of heavy United States criticism of the health agency.

Health Secretary Alex Azar spoke at the WHO’s World Health Assembly and implicated the organisation of letting Covid-19 spin “out of control” at the expense of “numerous lives”.