President Donald Trump claims the Democratic Party is transforming the worsening COVID-19 outbreak in the United States into a political hoax aimed at defeating him in the November 3 election. It's Trump's latest attempt to deflect blame away from what his critics say is his incompetent handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.
His choice last Wednesday of his loyal vice president, Mike Pence, to head the federal coronavirus task force continues to draw heavy criticism because of Pence's lack of any medical experience whatsoever. A lawyer by profession, Pence once recommended the people of Indiana (of which he was the former governor) "pray away" an HIV epidemic. A Yale University study in 2018 said Pence's slow response "fueled an HIV outbreak in his state."
"The Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus," said Trump at a campaign rally in South Carolina. "They tried the impeachment hoax that was on a perfect conversation. This is their new hoax," he said, referring to COVID-19.
Over the past two weeks, Trump has consistently sought to downplay the deleterious effects COVID-19 is bound to inflict on the health of Americans and the U.S. economy so as not to damage his reelection chances.
"We are magnificently organized with the best professionals in the world," said Trump about his administration's alleged preparations to help contain the spread of the highly-contagious coronavirus. "My administration has taken the most aggressive action in modern history to prevent the spread of this illness in the United States. We are ready. We are ready. Totally ready."
He also blamed Democrats and their defense of immigrants entering the U.S. for worsening the growing COVID-19 crisis.
"Whether it's the virus we're talking about or many other public health threats, the Democrat policy of open borders is a direct threat to the health and wellbeing of all Americans," he falsely claimed. The Democrats have totally no say in his administration's immigration policies, however.
As of February 29, there were 69 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Also on this day, CDC confirmed the first death in the U.S. as a result of this disease. It said a patient in Washington State died from COVID-19.
And, in an alarming development, CDC also announced it's responding to "the first possible outbreak" of the respiratory illness at The Life Care Center in Kirkland, a long-term care center in Washington. It revealed 27 patients and 25 staff members at the center have symptoms of COVID-19 and are all being quarantined.
