Trump says coronavirus not Asian Americans' fault
US President Donald Trump - under fire for labelling Covid-19 the "Chinese virus" - has said Asian Americans shouldn't be blamed for the outbreak.
He said it really is "very important that people totally protect" Asian Americans, whom he praised as "amazing people".
Mr Trump spoke out amid rising reports of verbal and physical attacks on the city amid the pandemic.
Coronavirus is still spreading in the US, which currently has a lot more than 43,000 confirmed cases and 533 deaths.
At a White House coronavirus task force news conference on Monday, Mr Trump said: "It is crucial that people totally protect our Asian American community in the usa and all all over the world.
"They're amazing persons and the spreading of the virus isn't their fault at all, shape or form.
"They're working closely with us to remove it - we will prevail together."
Asked by a reporter why he had spoken out, Mr Trump said: "It seems that there may be a small amount of nasty language toward the Asian Americans inside our country and I can't stand that at all.
"They are incredible people, they love our country and I'm not going to allow it happen."
During press conferences the other day, Mr Trump used the term "China virus" and "Chinese virus", rejecting recommendations from reporters that the word was racist.
"It originates from China," Mr Trump said then. "It isn't racist at all."
The World Health Organization has issued guidance against "stigmatising certain communities" when naming illnesses.
US lawmaker Judy Chu - a California Democrat and chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus - had not been impressed by Mr Trump's remarks.
She told NBC News his comments wouldn't normally "be necessary if he and his supporters hadn't already endangered so many by spreading this toxic xenophobia".
