Donald Trump said funding the World Health Organisation which amounts to between $400 million and $500 million a year, would be suspended pending a review of how the WHO performed over the outbreak, Ben Riley-Smith writes.

Mr Trump made the remarks at a White House briefing where he read out a list of criticisms and alleged failings of the WHO, many revolving around the alleged lack of speed in its reaction to coronavirus's emergence.

He said that the WHO had not sent experts into China quickly enough when the outbreak first emerged and took the assurances from that country's leaders "at face value".

Mr Trump said had the WHO "done its job" by getting experts into China swiftly then "the outbreak could have been contained at its sources with very little death".

The US president suggested thousands of lives could have been saved by such action. He said the WHO "failed in its basic duty and it must be held accountable". The WHO did not immediately comment on the criticisms or the suspension of funding.