US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned his Chinese counterpart against spreading “outlandish rumors” about coronavirus, The Hill reported. 

According to State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus, Pompeo “conveyed strong U.S. objection to [China's] efforts to shift blame for COVID-19 to the United States” in a phone call with the director of China's Office of Foreign Affairs, Yang Jiechi.

“The Secretary stressed that this is not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumors, but rather a time for all nations to come together to fight this common threat,” Ortagus said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tweeted the US is responsible for the outbreak of coronavirus, with his messages shared and retweeted by other Chinese diplomats. 

“When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!” Zhao tweeted.