WHO chief seeks to rise above Trump criticism

In a heartfelt plea for unity, the World Health Organization's chief sought Wednesday to rise above sharp criticism and threats of funding cuts from U.S. President Donald Trump over the agency’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, an Ethiopian and the WHO's first African leader, projected humility and minimized his personal role while decrying invective and even racist slurs against him amid the WHO's response to the disease.

“Why would I care about being attacked when people are dying?” he said.

Ghebreyesus dodged questions about Trump's comments a day earlier, but stressed that his key focus was saving lives, not playing politics.

Trump on Tuesday accused WHO of being "China-centric" and criticized its alleged missteps, notably faulting WHO recommendations against travel bans to help stop the spread.

The new coronavirus has infected more than 1.4 million people and cost over 83,000 lives across the globe.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.