As Scientists are scratching their heads trying to find the source of the Coronavirus and its definite cure which claimed the lives of more than 2900 people worldwide, United States President Donald Trump on Saturday called the virus a “hoax”.The statement also comes at a time when the United States officials on Saturday confirmed the first coronavirus death in the country.

At a rally on Friday in North Charleston, South Carolina, Trump said, "They’re politicising it. One of my people came up to me and said: ‘Mr President, they tried to beat you on Russia, Russia, Russia.’ That did not work out too well. They could not do it. They tried the impeachment hoax. This is their new hoax.”

Trump's comment comes amidst reports of first coronavirus death in Washington state. The health officials at  Seattle and King County, Washington stated that the patient was admitted in the hospital with “serious respiratory issues” and was tested for the virus on Thursday night.

However, later at a press conference in the White House, Trump fended off criticism for his "hoax" remark by saying that “the action [Democrats] tried to take to try to pin this on somebody because we’ve done such a good job.”

“The hoax is on them. I’m not talking about what’s happening here,” he added.

As the Coronavirus epidemic continues to spread throughout the world, China on Sunday reported that that 35 more people died, bringing the death toll in the country up to 2,870.

All the deaths except one were reported to be from the Hubei province, whose capital Wuhan is the epicentre of the outbreak. 

Moreover, 573 new infections were reported by the National Health Commission, taking the total number of cases in mainland China to 79,824.

Meanwhile, Thailand and Australia have also reported first coronavirus deaths, taking the death toll to more than 2900 people worldwide. 

The virus is believed to have spread late last year from a Wuhan market that sold wild animals.