President Donald Trump expressed optimism that the Spring heat in China would ultimately wipe out the coronavirus currently devastating the country.
“Now the virus that we’re talking about … you know a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat, as the heat comes in, typically that will go away in April,” Trump said during a White House meeting with governors on Monday.
The virus killed 97 people in China on Sunday, with a death toll of 910 people around the world.
Currently, there are only twelve cases of coronavirus in the United States.
President Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, expressing optimism that the Chinese leader could successfully eradicate the virus.
“Great discipline is taking place in China, as President Xi strongly leads what will be a very successful operation,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “We are working closely with China to help!”
On January 31, the president issued a ban on foreign nationals entering the United States who had traveled to China in the last two weeks.