After 'Chinese Virus,' US President Donald Trump now called the new novel coronavirus pandemic, which has swept across the globe, the 'Kung Flu.'
The first case of coronavirus was reported in Wuhan, China and has been largely speculated to have originated from a wet-seafood market in the same city. However, as the pandemic spread to other countries, the United States of America has been the most affected - both in highest number of fatalities, as well as the maximum number of positive cases.
In a re-election campaign rally in Tulsa, Trump said that COVID-19 is a disease which has more names than any other disease in history.
"I can name - Kung flu. I can name 19 different versions of names. Many calls it a virus, which it is. Many calls it a flu. What difference. I think we have 19 or 20 versions of the name," said Trump.
Trump's new name for the virus is a play on the ancient martial arts practice, Kung Fu.
Soon after, on Indian Twitter, many put out their racist comments. They seem to agree with Trump, resorting to calling China the same name.
#KungFluvirus even became a Twitter trend in India.
Anything wrong?
It is #chinavirus #Kungfluvirus pic.twitter.com/LmBN098Cp5
— Kshitij Agarwal (@agarwal_ksh) June 22, 2020
China's biggest weapon #Kungfluvirus pic.twitter.com/yEBul5wiyX
— Jithin_K (@Jithin_leo) June 22, 2020
#Kungfluvirus looks alright. pic.twitter.com/evxnZJVpaq
— SyedG (@ireyann) June 22, 2020
Chinese Virus #Kungfluvirus #ChineseVirus
— sandesh pawar (@sandeshp898) June 22, 2020
China is such a country that has given a lot of misery to the world. No doubt #COVID19Pandemic was a strategically plan of China to become a superpower. #Kungfluvirus
— Sarada Prasad Das (@AmSaradaPrasad) June 22, 2020
#Kungfluvirus this name seems fit and reasonable
— Nitin Jain (@NitinJa88956270) June 22, 2020
#globaltimesnews is superspreader #Kungfluvirus attitude revealed through Cheque book diplomatic corruption strategy of entering into anti national MOUs with different political parties across world ofcourse included our #ChinaCongress #SoniaGandhi @INCIndia @republic @TimesNow https://t.co/gtiMd9DQjc
— sreenivas (@sreeniv51294598) June 22, 2020
It's vital fr t world to be united. Stand solidarity with India, stop Chines to ruin the world pic.twitter.com/JJoEVY3SNE
— Sanjay tripathi (@Sanjayt03407382) June 22, 2020
Picture says everything#Kungfluvirus pic.twitter.com/OJr85QfLvu
— prattu (@Prattu15024056) June 22, 2020
I feel better to pronounce #Kungfluvirus not corona 😁 pic.twitter.com/m4r0OEWx34
— Rajeev Jaiswal™ (@rj_actionreplay) June 22, 2020
Nice name.. Trump is ThugLife Personified 😂😂😂 #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus #Kungfluvirus https://t.co/w7nIb9bmmf
— Gloria 🇮🇳 (@Libby_Slayer) June 22, 2020
Virus bows before the master. #Kungfluvirus pic.twitter.com/80oyYiLzOd
— SyedG (@ireyann) June 22, 2020
The maximum number of the people using the hashtag were however, in replies to Global Times' tweets, on India-China relations after the clash at Galwan Valley. Global Times is a daily tabloid newspaper under the Chinese Communist Party.
We don't need china, we will teach you lesson soon#Kungfluvirus only belongs to you
— Keval Adhyaru (@AdhyaruKeval) June 22, 2020
3 years back one of my Chinese friend told me when he was in India, that we Indians are blessed as patriotic but back in #China they are forced to do so if not then they are gone to grave. This is the truth of China, dooms day is not far off. #ChinaWingsClipped #Kungfluvirus
— एश्वर्या राजा (@ayshwarya_raja) June 22, 2020
#Kungfluvirus Chinese 🐕 banned in INDIA pic.twitter.com/Xttzbv078T
— Jithin_K (@Jithin_leo) June 22, 2020
On June 15th, at least 20 Indian Army personnel were killed in violent face-off with China in Ladakh's Galwan Valley.
This was the biggest confrontation between the two militaries after their 1967 clashes in Nathu La in 1967 when India lost around 80 soldiers while more than 300 Chinese army personnel were killed.
After the brief border war in 1962 and have not been able to settle their border despite two decades of talks. Both claim thousands of kilometres of territory and patrols along the undemarcated Line of Actual Control - the de-facto border - often run into each other, leading to tensions.
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