Coronavirus: US ambassador trashes charges of causing panic

Trashing the charges levelled by China that his country was causing panic over coronavirus, US Ambassador Kenneth Juster said their aim was to provide assistance for the elimination of the problem.

Juster said this at a press conference when he was asked to comment on China's charge that the US was trying to tarnish its image.

"I don't think that it is correct. Whenever there is any health outbreak, the first and foremost responsibility and objective of the US is to provide assistance to confine the causes and eliminate the problem," the US Ambassador said.

China on Monday had accused the US of causing "panic" through its actions like travel bans and evacuation of diplomats and said there was no "substantial help" from Washington to contain the virus.

The deadly virus, which first emerged in China's Wuhan, has spread to 25 countries, including India, the US and the UK.

Joining a growing list of nations to impose travel restrictions, the US has announced a 14-day travel ban on all visitors from China, regardless of their nationality.