Mike Pompeo has admitted the US is not certain that COVID19 came from a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan
Critics say the administration is seeking to deflect attention from what they see as a slow response to the outbreak in the US - where more than 72,000 people with the disease have died and internal estimates reportedly indicate the daily death toll could reach 3,000 by June.
Mr Pompeo's claim on Sunday that there was"a significant amount of evidence" that the new coronavirus emerged from a Chinese laboratory appeared to clash with his remarks last week - as well as those of the top US general on Tuesday - that it was still unknown where the virus emerged from. Health Secretary Matt Hancock says he can see no evidence that coronavirus originated from a lab, despite Donald Trump's claims.
"Let me just put this to bed. Your effort to try to find just - to spend your whole life trying to drive a little wedge between senior American officials... it's just false," he told a reporter, at times talking over her. "Every one of those statements is entirely consistent. Every one of them. Lay them down together, there is no separation. We are all trying to figure out the right answer. We are all trying to get the clarity. There are different levels of certainty assessed at different places.""China could have spared the world a descent into global economic malaise," he said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Cyber-spies hunt Covid-19 research, US and UK warnThe healthcare sector is being targeted online by hackers linked to foreign states, the two nations say.
Read more »
Coronavirus: US government whistleblower 'demoted for warning about COVID-19'Government scientist Rick Bright says a top official had 'appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic event'.
Read more »
Coronavirus: China says it wants transparent investigation into COVID-19 origin – but is refusing oneScientists say they are ready and willing to help those investigations, however China is not taking them up on the offer.
Read more »
Brits 'could intentionally give themselves corona if wider testing comes in'WIDER coronavirus testing may lead to Brits intentionally infecting themselves with the virus, warn government scientists. It could also fuel a black market in fake results. ⚠️ Read our coronavirus…
Read more »
Coronavirus: Could a llama hold the key to treating COVID-19?The llama, Winter, is four years old and living on a farm in the Belgian countryside.
Read more »
New coronavirus spread swiftly around world from late 2019, study...By Kate KellandLONDON, May 6 (Reuters) - A genetic study of samples from more than 7,500 people infected with COVID-19 suggests the new coronavirus spread...
Read more »