Missouri sues China, alleges country's mishandling of coronavirus caused 'enormous' loss

Missouri is suing the China government over the coronavirus, arguing Chinese officials misleading information and slow response to the now-global infection resulted in “enormous death, suffering, and economic losses.”  

The suit was filed Tuesday in federal court by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.

“The Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19, silenced whistleblowers, and did little to stop the spread of the disease,” he said, according to the Associated Press. “They must be held accountable for their actions.”

Whether the suit goes forward remains unclear, because governments largely have sovereignty for to such situations, and U.S. law essentially prohibits suits against other countries.

Missouri Democratic lawmakers say the Republican attorney general filing the suit is a political stunt.