SHANGHAI, Jan 27 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump offered China any help needed on Monday to control a coronavirus outbreak that has killed 81 people, stranded tens of millions during the biggest holiday of the year and rattled global markets.
With provincial authorities taking increasing flak from the public over their initial response, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited central Wuhan city, the epicenter of the outbreak, to encourage medical workers and promise reinforcements.
Global stocks fell, oil prices hit three-month lows, and China’s yuan dipped to its weakest in 2020 as investors fretted about the impact on the world’s second-biggest economy from travel bans and extended Lunar New Year holidays.
“We are in very close communication with China concerning the virus,” tweeted Trump, who waged a bruising 18-month trade war with Beijing.
“Very few cases reported in USA, but strongly on watch. We have offered China and President Xi (Jinping) any help that is necessary. Our experts are extraordinary!”
Beijing authorities reported the capital’s first coronavirus death on Monday – a 50-year-old person who had been to Wuhan, state media said.
Visiting Wuhan in a blue protective suit and mask, Li praised medics, said 2,500 more workers would join them in the next two days, and visited the construction site of a new hospital due to be built in days.
“Li … thanked frontline medical workers for their all-out efforts in treating patients and urged them to pay attention to their own protection,” Xinhua news agency said.
Li, the most senior leader to visit Wuhan since the outbreak began, was shown on state TV leading medical workers in chants of “Wuhan jiayou!” – an exhortation to keep their strength up.
On China’s heavily censored social media, local officials have faced mounting anger over the virus, which is thought to have come from a market where wildlife was sold illegally.
Some lashed out at the governor of Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital, after he corrected himself twice during a news conference over the number of face masks being produced.
“If he can mess up the data multiple times, no wonder the disease has spread so severely,” said one user of the Weibo social media platform.
Wuhan Mayor Zhou Xianwang told state broadcaster CCTV the city’s management of the crisis was “not good enough” – rare public self-criticism – and said he was willing to resign.
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