'No, Xi Jinping-WHO chief never had a phone conversation'

Denying the reports of Xi Jinping and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus' phone call, the WHO called it untrue and said that they never had a telephonic conversation. A German media outlet reported on January 21 that Jinping had a phone call with Tedros, citing information from the country's Federal Intelligence Service.

Hyderabad: The WHO has denied media reports claiming that Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to the global health body's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in January, asking him to delay the coronavirus severity to the world.

On January 21, a German media outlet Der Spiegel reported that Xi had a telephonic conversation with Tedros, citing information from the country's Federal Intelligence Service.

However, the WHO said that Xi and Tedros have never spoken by telephone and called the reports untrue.

The global health watchdog also said that China confirmed human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus on January 20.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump has also criticised the health watchdog for declaring coronavirus a pandemic very late and called it a PR agency of China.