Donald Trump takes another shot at Jacinda Ardern for having a 'big outbreak' with six new COVID-19 cases - while the US records 40,000 infections every day
Donald Trump has taken another swipe at New Zealand for its 'big outbreak' of COVID-19, while praising his own country for doing an 'incredible job' in the battle against the deadly virus.
The US President, whose country has recorded the highest number of cases across the globe, made the comments during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday.
'New Zealand, by the way, had a big outbreak, and other countries that were held up to try and make us look not as good as we should look, and we've done an incredible job,' he said.
'They're having a lot of outbreaks, but they'll be able to put them out, and we'll be able put them out.'
New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday said Trump's claim was 'patently wrong'
His comments came as New Zealand recorded six new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the number of active cases to 96.
The US recorded 40,000 new cases on Wednesday.
The country holds the record for the most cases with 5.5million COVID-19 cases and 170,000 deaths.
Trump made a similar sentiment during a campaign rally in Mankato, Minnesota earlier this week.
'The places they were using to hold up now they're having a big surge … they were holding up names of countries and now they're saying ''whoops'',' he told the crowd.
Two women wear face masks as they walk in Wellington, New Zealand, on Saturday (pictured)
A police vehicle is seen outside Rydges Rotorua Hotel which is being used to isolate returned travellers (pictured on August 12)
A man wearing a face mask is seen in downtown Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday (pictured)
'Do you see what's happening in New Zealand? They beat it, they beat it, it was like front-page news because they wanted to show me something.
'Big surge in New Zealand, you know it's terrible, we don't want that, but this is an invisible enemy that should never have been let to come to Europe and the rest of the world by China.'
New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday said Trump's claim was 'patently wrong'.
'Obviously I don't think there's any comparison between New Zealand's current cluster and the tens of thousands of cases that are being seen daily in the United States,' Ms Ardern said.
People wearing face masks walk on a street in downtown Auckland, New Zealand (pictured on Wednesday night)
Donald Trump has taken another swipe at New Zealand for its 'big outbreak' of COVID-19, while praising his own country for doing an 'incredible job' in the battle against the deadly virus
'Obviously, every country is experiencing its own fight with COVID-19; it is a tricky virus, but not one where I would compare New Zealand's current status to the United States.'
The island nation had been the envy of the world for its handling of the COVID-19 crisis until new cases emerged on August 11.
Auckland was thrown back into lockdown, or Level Three, to suppress the spread of the virus, having enjoyed 102 days without a single case of community transmission.
The rest of New Zealand has been placed at Level Two, which mandates social distancing and caps on gathering sizes.
During a campaign rally in Mankato, Minnesota on Monday, the president (pictured) called out New Zealand for its 'big surge' in COVID-19 cases
The source of the fresh Kiwi outbreak is still yet to be determined.
New Zealand and Australian officials are collaborating over a possible link through a freight business with outlets in Melbourne and Auckland.
New Zealanders had been enjoying the return of their usual freedoms after an autumn lockdown proved effective in temporarily eliminating the deadly virus.
The country's lockdown has now been extended until August 26.
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