New York residents sue World Health Organization over coronavirus response

Residents of the New York's Westchester County on Monday sued the World Health Organization, accusing it of gross negligence in covering up and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three residents of Westchester County accused the WHO of failing to quickly declare a pandemic, monitor China’s response to the original outbreak, provide treatment guidelines, advise members on how to respond including through travel restrictions, and coordinate a global response.

The lead plaintiffs in the suit — Richard Kling, a doctor, Steve Rotker, and Gennaro Purchia — claim they were “injured and damaged by WHO’s negligent conduct.”

President Trump last week had frozen funds to the United Nations health agency over "mismanaging" the crisis and not acting fast enough as the disease spread worldwide.

The US is the biggest single contributor to the United Nations' health agency. Trump had said the virus could have been contained if the WHO had accurately assessed the situation in China, where the virus broke out.

World Health Organization(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,55, said that there "is nothing hidden from the US from day one" while adding that "there is no secret in WHO".

The US has been hit the hardest with the virus with 787,901 confirmed cases and over 42,364 deaths.

(With inputs from agencies)