Donald Trump's coronavirus statement branded 'incoherent' as Mike Pence put in charge of response

Subscribe to the Evening Standard on YouTube:

Donald Trump sought to downplay the coronavirus risk to US citizens after placing vice president Mike Pence in charge of his nation's response.

The US president insisted the threat to Americans from Covid-19 remained "very low" and an outbreak was not inevitable.

But health officials in the country pushed for the public to prepare for further cases.

Commenting on the virus spreading across the US, Mr Trump said: "It probably will, it possibly will. It could be at a very small level, or it could be at a larger level. Whatever happens we’re totally prepared."

President Trump's press conference was described as "incoherent" by Dr Ezekiel Emanuel, an adviser to the World Health Organisation, who blasted him as "ignorant to the situation" as he spoke to MSNBC.

Read more:

london,evening standard,news,newspaper,standard,uk,donald trump,trump,mike pence,coronavirus,covid 19,covid-19,virus,US,USA,president,president trump,spread,infection,outbreak,America,Disease Control and Prevention,World Health Organisation,Nancy Pelosi,pandemic,