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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Trump says coronavirus not Asian Americans' fault | Trump says coronavirus not Asian Americans' fault |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| US President Donald Trump - under fire for labelling Covid-19 the "Chinese virus" - has said Asian Americans should not be blamed for the outbreak. | US President Donald Trump - under fire for labelling Covid-19 the "Chinese virus" - has said Asian Americans should not be blamed for the outbreak. |
| He said it is "very important that we totally protect" Asian Americans, whom he praised as "amazing people". | He said it is "very important that we totally protect" Asian Americans, whom he praised as "amazing people". |
| Mr Trump spoke out amid rising reports of verbal and physical attacks on the community amid the pandemic. | Mr Trump spoke out amid rising reports of verbal and physical attacks on the community amid the pandemic. |
| Coronavirus is still spreading in the US, which currently has over 42,000 confirmed cases and 533 deaths. | Coronavirus is still spreading in the US, which currently has over 42,000 confirmed cases and 533 deaths. |
| At a White House coronavirus task force news conference on Monday, Mr Trump said: "It is very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States and all around the world. | At a White House coronavirus task force news conference on Monday, Mr Trump said: "It is very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States and all around the world. |
| "They're amazing people and the spreading of the virus is not their fault in any way, shape or form. | "They're amazing people and the spreading of the virus is not their fault in any way, shape or form. |
| "They're working closely with us to get rid of it - we will prevail together." | "They're working closely with us to get rid of it - we will prevail together." |
| Asked by a reporter why he had spoken out after using the term "Chinese virus", Mr Trump said: "It seems that there could be a little bit of nasty language toward the Asian Americans in our country and I don't like that at all. | |
| "These are incredible people, they love our country and I'm not going to let it happen." | |
| A recent study from San Francisco State University found a 50% rise in news articles reporting coronavirus-related discrimination against Asian Americans. | A recent study from San Francisco State University found a 50% rise in news articles reporting coronavirus-related discrimination against Asian Americans. |
| During press conferences last week, Mr Trump used the term "China virus" and "Chinese virus", rejecting suggestions from reporters that the term was racist. | |
| "It comes from China," Mr Trump said last week. "It's not racist at all." | |
| The World Health Organization has issued guidance against using geographic locations when naming illnesses to avoid "stigmatising certain communities". | |
| The US is currently in the middle of 15 days of social distancing. | |
| But on the day that Britain announced a national lockdown to combat the virus, Mr Trump announced that America would reopen for business "very soon". | |
| "We can't have the cure be worse than the problem," he told reporters. | |
| Mr Trump said the country had "learned a lot" about social distancing and hand washing. | |
| "We have to open our country because that causes problems that in my opinion could be bigger problems, far bigger," he added. | |
| "This is a severe medical situation that could cause problems far beyond the medical." |