The WHO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Scott and other lawmakers have raised questions about the WHO’s refusal to grant membership to Taiwan, which the Chinese government has tried to alienate from the global community.

The WHO has come under intense scrutiny in recent days over its initial efforts to downplay the severity of the novel coronavirus, including in a Jan. 14 tweet stating that ”preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission” of the virus.

The novel coronavirus has spread to more than 150 countries, almost entirely via person-to-person contact. More than 175,000 Americans have tested positive for the virus, and more than 3,500 have died.

Scott, a freshman senator, has called for aggressive policies to combat the spread of the virus in the U.S. and has been among the most vocal critics of the Chinese government.

The southeast region of Scott’s home state, Florida, is under a lockdown order until at least April 15.

