Washington D.C. [USA], Mar 7 : American comedian and TV host Bill Maher expressed his annoyance towards the mass hysteria surrounding the coronavirus disease.
According to Fox News, the 'Real Time' host said that "I'm over this virus. I haven't had it. What I'm saying is, I'm sick. I don't mean that, either. I'm sick of the virus -- but not from the virus. At this point, I just want to get it so we don't have to talk about it or worry about touching my face anymore."
"The way they talk about it on the news ... They make it sound like if you're within six feet of anyone who has it, just get your affairs in order," he went on.
However, Ross Douthat, a New York Times columnist who was present at the show, showed some reservations on Maher's statement.
The host responded by saying "I'm just talking about the disease itself. It could be something really, really virulent, but as I said last week at the top of the show with our expert, the response is to have a good immune system. And it's really the only response."
Maher then pointed out some statistical figures according to which 517 people succumbed to "the regular flu" in California "this season", reported Fox News.
He further said that "if that was on TV every day, I'd assume we'd be freaking out."
The HBO actor also added that nearly 61,000 people lost their lives due to the flu in the previous year.
Lastly, he ranted in front of the panel that "People die! That's what happens in life! I hate when Trump talks like the guy at the end of the bar, which is what he does. So when he says, 'I have a hunch...' I know what he means because Y2K was going to end the world and the fires in Kuwait were going to end the world and the BP oil spill was going to end the world, and every other flu we've ever had. And it didn't!"
( With inputs from ANI )