Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said Thursday morning that the coronavirus outbreak in China could be good for the U.S. economy.
“Well, first of all, every American’s heart has to go out to the victims of the coronavirus, so I don’t wanna talk about a victory lap over a very unfortunate, very malignant disease,” Ross said. “But the fact is, it does give businesses yet another thing to consider when they go through their review of their supply chain.”
Ross called the disease a “risk factor” that businesses must take into account. (RELATED: Bernie Sanders Is Now The Democratic Front-Runner, And That Should Worry Republicans)
“I think it will help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America, some to U.S., probably some to Mexico as well,” Ross said.
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There have been an estimated 3,000 cases of the coronavirus in China, and at least 80 people have died in the Chinese city of Wuhan. There have also been at least five cases so far in the U.S.