Donald Trump has branded the deadly coronavirus a 'hoax' – despite it having killed more than 2,800 people.

The President of the United States used a packed rally in North Charleston to link the Covid-19 strain of the viral disease to the Democratic Party and its efforts to impeach him.

Offering no evidence, he claimed that his political rivals' stance on immigration had allowed coronavirus to spread to the US – despite the fact the Dems have been out of power for four years.

Trump also accused his rivals of  “politicizing the coronavirus” by attacking him for his handling of the response.

He called it “their new hoax" following on from the Russian investigation and the impeachment effort – but then went on to say what measures his Government was taking to stop coronavirus despite claiming it doesn't exist.

So far 83,000 people have been infected with the disease around the world and it is continuing to spread.

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Speaking at the Coliseum and Performing Arts Center, Trump said: “We are doing everything in our power to keep the infection and those carrying the infection from entering the country. We have no choice.

“Whether it’s the virus that we’re talking about, or the many other public health threats, the Democrat policy of open borders is a direct threat to the health and wellbeing of all Americans.”

So far more than 60 cases have been identified in the US.

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However, all but one of those had travelled to China or were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Japan.

No US citizen has been tested positive for the disease having caught it from someone who travelled to the country.

Trump's wild assertion comes at the end of a week when his administration his faced criticism for its response to coronavirus.

The country's Centre for Disease Control began sending out new testing kits on Friday after an initial batch was deemed faulty.

Democrats pointed to cuts made to the centre under Trump's regime.

The President's decision to appoint his deputy Mike Pence as the leader of the response to the viral outbreak also caused eyebrows to be raised .

The Vice President has a chequered history when it comes to public health responses, including an outbreak of HIV in Indiana when he was Governor there in 2015.

Health workers struggled to fight the spread due to a lack of staff caused by his decision to slash its budget, NBC reported.

In the year 2000 he wrote, despite much evidence at that point, that smoking "doesn't kill".

Pence later announced that Dr Deborah L Birx, who runs the country’s efforts to fight HIV and Aids, would lead the response to the coronavirus in his place.

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