Donald Trump has hailed New Zealand for its recent outbreak of Covid-19, saying that the places that have the world as a success story now face a “big turnout” in cases.
‘The places they used to stop now have a big turnout … they kept names of countries and now they say’ whoops !.
“Do you see what is happening in New Zealand? They defeated it, they defeated it, it was like news on the page because they want to show me something, “the U.S. president said at a campaign rally in Mankato, Minnesota.
Aaron Rupar
(@atrupar)“Plots a lot of the places they used to keep, they have a great foundation … New Zealand, you see what’s going on in New Zealand” – New Zealand had nine (9!) New Covid cases today . The US had more than 42,000.
The outbreaks are not comparable. pic.twitter.com/T8ugmKK6aa
“Great current in New Zealand, you know it’s terrible, we do not want that, but this is an invisible enemy that should never have been left by China to come to Europe and the rest of the world.”
On Monday, Auckland registered nine new cases of the virus, and 13 on Tuesday, while the U.S. Monday figure was just under 42,000.
It’s the first time Tump has mentioned New Zealand in a campaign speech. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern responded saying there was “no comparison” between the situation in the US and her country.
Ben McKay
(@benmackey)Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says there is “no comparison” between the cases of NZ and the US, after Donald Trump said her country had experienced a major upheaval.
NZ has 13 new cases today. pic.twitter.com/D0hPlkf1lq
The New Zealand government has described the outbreak as contained and controllable, and has chosen not to place the country or even Auckland completely, level 4 lockdown. The outbreak is currently limited to a single cluster of related cases, which numbered 69 as of Tuesday.
Overall, 22 people died from Covid-19 in New Zealand, compared to more than 170,000 in the US, the highest death toll in the world. It accounts for nearly 22% of deaths worldwide.
Toby Manhire
(@toby_etc)It was difficult to say why the scientists, the models, the officials, the health workers, the teachers, the supermarket workers, the politicians, the companies, the people refused tangi, funerals, marriages, and millions who made many other sacrifices, did it, but suddenly clear now https://t.co/TDYhtytsXH
In June, New Zealand declared that it had eliminated the virus, and went 102 days without infection in the community.
Last week, four people tested positive for the virus, and dozens more were infected in Auckland, prompting the prime minister to place the city of 1.5 million in a two-week, stage 3 lockdown.
It is still unclear how the virus got into the community, but health officials continue to test workers at international borders, ports and a cool shop that handles international freight.
President Trump has been criticized for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic – from labeling it a ‘hoax’ earlier this year, to wrongly suggesting that disinfectant injection could be a potential way to combat Covid-19. Until recent weeks, Trump has refused to wear a mask.
Fallen began to rise for the second time after Memorial Day holiday weekend in late May. County County in Los Angeles is the worst hit in the country, with more than 220,000 cases, followed by Miami-Dade in Florida, with 145,000 cases. This compares with Queens in New York, which recorded the most deaths in the country (5,977), and 68,000 infections.
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