the coronavirus crisis

Acting DHS secretary falsely claims flu is just as deadly as the coronavirus

February 25, 2020

.polaris__post-meta--date { display: none; } .polaris__post-meta--date.no-script { display: block; padding-left: 45px } February 25, 2020

Screenshot/ABC

He was just a little bit off on that one.

During Senate testimony Tuesday, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf was grilled by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) about the United States' preparedness for a potential coronavirus outbreak. At one point Kennedy asked Wolf about the virus' fatality rate, which Wolf said was likely somewhere between 1.5 and 2 percent. He then veered off course by telling Kennedy that the flu's fatality rate is in the same ballpark, which is not correct or even particularly close.

WATCH: Acting DHS Sec. Wolf tells Sen. Kennedy that the mortality rate for the coronavirus is "right around" the same percentage as the flu.As of Feb. 19, the coronavirus mortality rate within China is 2.3%, WHO says. Flu mortality rate in America is 0.1%, according to CDC. pic.twitter.com/hOZr4tR6nT
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) February 25, 2020

Kennedy didn't seem convinced, but opted not to press Wolf more on the flu stats. That didn't mean he let him off the hook generally, however. The senator was not pleased with Wolf's answers to a number of his questions and reportedly grew visibly irate at times, The Hill reports.

The Trump administration as a whole has taken some criticism for what some perceive to be a lackadaisical, overly-optimistic response to the outbreak.