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Bill Gates criticized President Donald Trump for defunding the World Health Organization late on Tuesday.

Trump earlier said he would stop the $400-500 million of US funding for the body, pending an investigation into what he saw as the WHO aiding China in "covering up" the coronavirus.

The Microsoft founder said that during the coronavirus pandemic, "the world needs WHO now more than ever."

The coronavirus pandemic is close to infecting 2 million people worldwide. Just over 600,000 people in the US have been reported infected, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

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Bill Gates criticized President Trump's decision to defund the World Health Organisation, saying that to do so during the coronavirus pandemic is "as dangerous as it sounds."

The Microsoft founder tweeted: "Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds.

"Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs @WHO now more than ever."

Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds. Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs @WHO now more than ever. — Bill Gates (@BillGates) April 15, 2020

Although the tweet did not name Trump, it came hours after the US president announced that he would halt the US' $400-500 million contribution.

Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he was suspending the funding for a period of weeks, pending a review of the WHO's role in what he phrased as "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus."

He accused the organization of allowing China to cover up the true extent of the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 600,000 and killed more than 26,000 Americans. The virus is now close to infecting 2 million people worldwide.

Democratic representatives have also criticized the move, while WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that now is not the time to "politicize" the pandemic.

Gates, who has long warned against a coming pandemic, has pledged $100 million towards fighting the coronavirus outbreak via the Bill and Melinda Gates charitable foundation.