Rand Paul rips ‘leftwing media’ for focusing on COVID-19 cases: ‘Mortality rates are plummeting’

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticized the media in a Tuesday tweet for what he said was it not reporting a drop in the COVID-19 mortality rate in Spain, which is experiencing a surge in new coronavirus cases.

“New COVID infections up 33% in Spain but mortality down 82%,” Paul tweeted while sharing a link to Spain’s coronavirus totals. “The Leftwing media reports the new cases but refuses to let anyone hear the good news — mortality rates are plummeting!”

According to Worldometers, Spain recorded 17,396 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, along with 93 deaths.

The country recently declared a state of emergency in an effort to battle a second wave of infections that is also impacting neighboring France, which also saw a record number of new cases over the weekend.

“The reality is that Europe and Spain are immersed in a second wave of the pandemic,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a Sunday statement. “The situation we are living in is extreme.”

Paul, like President Trump, is a staunch critic of shutdowns in the U.S.

The libertarian also slammed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden earlier this week, calling the former vice president “a petty tyrant like” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).

Right now @realDonaldTrump going STRONG on lockdowns and the damage being done. This is what he needs to keep saying. VP Biden is auditioning for petty tyrant in Chief. NO!!

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) October 22, 2020

“Just now: @JoeBiden will not rule out more lockdowns,” Paul tweeted. “This should be disqualifying. We have had enough petty tyrants like @NYGovCuomo hurting our economy and hurting our children.”

The coronavirus has been a top issue in the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, with Biden making Trump’s handling of the pandemic a central argument.

The U.S. death toll stands at more than 226,000.

The president has argued that millions would have died without the steps his administration took.

Both Paul and Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus.