Coronavirus is not China virus, just as Ebola is not Africa virus — Chinese Ambassador Wu Peng

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng has said it is wrong for some people to associate the Covid-19 with the Chinese community.

Speaking during an interview on CGTN, Wu said that viruses do not respect religion or specific countries and the best way to combat the coronavirus is to combine efforts.

“Coronavirus is not China virus, just as Ebola is not Africa virus. Viruses do not respect nation, and religion [sic].

“We believe that this is the battle between the humanity and nature. Discrimination and prejudice at this crucial time can only do harm to the global battle,” he remarked.

This comes just days after a video of a Chinese couple being harassed by Kenyans surfaced online.

In the video, the couple were being asked if ‘they are corona’ [sic] and they explained that they did not have the virus.

The visibly agitated couple recorded the incident on their phones as a man attempted to slap them.

Last week, the Chinese Embassy in Kenya asked locals to stop directing racist remarks at their nationals.

“We call upon a rational and scientific approach towards Chinese communities, firmly object any irresponsible and even racist remarks as seen from one of the MPs,” said the Embassy.

This is after Mavoko MP Peter Makau made what was seen as an inflammatory appeal to his constituents against the Chinese community in Athi River.

The legislator asked residents to isolate themselves from Chinese after a plane full of Chinese nationals landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Responding to fears about a woman who was spotted in Athi River last week, the embassy stated that there is only one female Chinese national in the estate and she arrived in Kenya on the same day.

The Embassy clarified that she was wearing a mask as a prevention measure and had been examined by officials from Kenya’s Ministry of Health.