UPDATE - Somebody could have stopped virus deaths in US: Trump

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By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - US deaths from the novel coronavirus could have been stopped by "somebody," President Donald Trump said Monday.

"There has been so much unnecessary death in this country. It could have been stopped and it could have been stopped short, but somebody a long time ago, it seems, decided not to do it that way," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"And the whole world is suffering because of it," he added.

He did not give a name, but China has long been slammed by some for failing to timely handle the virus and hiding the outbreak at the beginning.

US deaths from the coronavirus have surpassed 56,000, with the number of infections near one million -- two thirds of the world's total.

Asked by a reporter how he would hold Beijing accountable, Trump said there are a lot of ways and the US is conducting "serious investigations” into China’s response to the outbreak.

"We are not happy with China. We’re not happy with that whole situation. We believe it could have been stopped at the source.

"It could have been stopped quickly and it wouldn’t have spread all over the world," he added.

After originating in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has spread to at least 185 countries and regions across the world. Europe and the US are currently the worst-hit.

The pandemic has killed more than 210,800 people worldwide, with the total number of infections exceeding 3 million, while at least 892,000 have recovered from the disease, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University of the US.