U.S. President Donald Trump (R) attends a press conference in the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on Feb. 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
U.S. President Donald Trump has put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the country's coronavirus response.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday appointed Vice President Mike Pence to oversee the country's response to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
"I'm going to be announcing exactly right now that I'm going to be putting our Vice President Mike Pence in charge," Trump said at the White House briefing room, citing Pence's experience with health care policy.
Trump said the virus's threat to the U.S. public "remains very low," but the country is "very, very ready" for whatever the coronavirus threat brings.
Trump denied the community spread is "inevitable," while admitting that it could be "at a larger level." He said the country's is "ready to adapt" and "ready to do whatever we have to as the disease spreads, if it spreads."
Trump said at the press conference that China is "working hard and smart" in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak and the United States also has a plan of larger-scale quarantine if things worsen.
The United States has recorded a total of 60 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday.
On Tuesday, U.S. health officials have heightened their alert against the COVID-19 outbreak, calling on Americans to brace for a community spread in the country. ■