US CDC had ‘very good interaction’ with China after coronavirus outbreak, says director Robert Redfield
- Top US health official says colleagues connected with Beijing two days after Chinese health authorities first notified WHO of ‘a cluster of cases of pneumonia’
- Discussions took place ‘at a scientific level’ as early as January 2, Redfield testifies to US lawmakers
In testimony to US lawmakers, CDC director Robert Redfield said his colleagues had been in touch with their counterparts in Beijing two days after Chinese health authorities first notified the World Health Organisation of what they referred to as “a cluster of cases of pneumonia” on December 31.
“When this original outbreak of pneumonia of unknown etiology came from the original seafood market, we were obviously in discussions with US personnel that were working with Chinese CDC,” Redfield told Senator Kelly Loeffler, a Republican representing Georgia.
Loeffler had asked Redfield to explain “the level and the timing” of the information that he received from Chinese counterparts.
“I personally had discussions as early, I think the CDC had discussions as early as January 2, and myself, January 3, with a counterpart to discuss this at a scientific level,” Redfield said. “I think we had very good interaction. That’s different than the broader government level.”
