The head of the US Food and Drug Administration repeatedly refused to comment on President Donald Trump s recent claim that 99% of coronavirus cases in the US. are totally harmless, despite data showing that the majority of people infected with the virus show symptoms of COVID-19 .

Trump, who has long attempted to downplay the seriousness of the virus, was speaking at the White House on Saturday when he made the claim without citing a source or any evidence.

We have tested almost 40 million people. By so doing, we show cases 99% of which are totally harmless results that no other country can show because no other country has testing that we have, Trump said.

Dr Stephen Hahn the commissioner of food and drugs who is also a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force was asked about Trumps latest claim in two separate interviews Sunday but refused to address it when asked.