Pandemic Concerns Grow... Laughter Erupts at Trump COVID-19 Press Conference

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] As concerns about a 'pandemic' due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) grow worldwide, U.S. President Donald Trump burst into laughter during a press conference on the 26th (local time). This was because President Trump, who had urged people to think of COVID-19 like the flu, made a joke by imitating a flu patient.

According to The New York Times (NYT) and others, President Trump's press conference took place right after his visit to India. It was the day when COVID-19 rapidly spread from South Korea, Italy, and Iran, and even Brazil, which had been a clean area, reported its first confirmed case, meaning all six continents were infected with COVID-19. Concerns grew that confirmed cases would increase in the U.S. as well, and it was expected that President Trump might announce high-level measures such as additional entry restrictions.

However, the expectations were off. Instead of high-level measures to block COVID-19, the focus was on reducing anxiety about the spread of the infectious disease. President Trump claimed that tens of thousands die from the flu and that COVID-19 is not that dangerous, praising the U.S.'s response capabilities.

In particular, when a reporter asked, "Today, the president seems to be minimizing the risk of COVID-19. Is he saying that Americans do not need to change their behavior?" President Trump replied, "No. You’ve probably heard this, but you need to wash your hands and maintain cleanliness," smiling and rubbing his hands together.

He also shared a personal experience, saying he recently met a man after a long time. President Trump said that when the man saw him, he hugged and kissed him, so he asked, "Are you doing well?" The man replied, "I have the worst fever and the worst flu." President Trump said, "I excused myself for a moment and immediately went to wash my hands," adding, "You should do the same."

In a situation where deaths and confirmed cases are rapidly increasing worldwide due to the spread of COVID-19, there are criticisms that President Trump's remarks and actions are too lighthearted about the situation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of the 25th, the global number of COVID-19 deaths was 2,760, and confirmed cases reached 81,000.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.