Donald Trump says he hasn't touched his face "in weeks" amid the Coronavirus outbreak - despite being pictured on Monday with his hand on his cheek.
The self-confessed germaphobe told a meeting of airline bosses he had taken the precaution to limit his chances of catching the disease.
"I haven't touched my face in weeks. In weeks. I miss it," he said.
But on Monday, during a meeting at the White House with the pharmaceutical executives about the outbreak, the President was pictured with his hand on his chin and cheek.
Medical experts have advised people not to touch their face to help contain the spread of the disease and to wash their hands with soap for 20 seconds multiple times a day.
Trump's handling of the coronavirus in the States has been at the centre of much criticism as he rails against his medical experts.
Yesterday he said he had a "hunch" the death rate is lower than recent estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus this week issued an estimate that the virus kills 3.4 per cent of all patients.
Still, the President said he believed not all cases are tracked by medical authorities.
"They don't know about the easy cases," Trump said as he appeared on Fox News.
"I think the number, personally I think the number is way under one per cent.
"I think the 3.4 per cent is really a false number.
"Now, this is just my hunch.
"Because a lot of people will have this, and it's very mild, they'll get better very rapidly, they don't even see a doctor, they don't even call a doctor, you never hear about those people, so you can't put them down in the category of the overall population, in terms of this corona flu, and/or virus."
Trump's theory came as the coronavirus death toll hit 11 in the States and while California was placed under a state of emergency.
Elsewhere residents in a Washington state, where 31 people have tested positive and nine people have died, have been advised to work from home.
Health officials in one area, King County, which covers Seattle urged all its 2.2 million locals to stay away from their jobs.
