There is growing concern over China’s steep rise in Covid cases since Beijing last week lifted its strict Covid restrictions and dramatically narrowed criteria for declaring Covid-related fatalities. This means Beijing’s own statistics about the unprecedented cases are underrepresenting the reality of the country.
The WHO’s Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has again urged China to provide reliable data regarding the number of Covid deaths and hospitalizations in the country.
During a briefing held in Geneva on Wednesday, Tedros said that China should provide more reliable data on the number of hospitalizations and deaths related to the coronavirus. He also asked the country to improve its comprehensive genome sequencing to identify the variants. Last week, the WHO held a high-level meeting with its counterparts in China to discuss the increasing number of cases and hospitalizations.
The WHO’s technical advisory groups on COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution held meetings with Chinese experts. The UN agency is worried about the potential impact of the disease in China on the rest of the world, and it has emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated with booster doses and protecting it against hospitalization.
He noted that the data should be used to inform decision-making and improve the care of those who are most vulnerable, such as older people and those with medical conditions.
Several countries, citing the increasing number of cases and hospitalizations in China, imposed mandatory COVID-19 testing for travellers from the country. This came after the country lifted its zero-Covid policy.
On Tuesday, China criticized the countries that imposed COVID-19 restrictions without providing a scientific basis for their actions. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the measures were “disproportionate and unacceptable.”
According to the WHO chief, it’s understandable that some nations are taking these steps to protect their citizens.
However, he noted that due to the lack of comprehensive data regarding the outbreak in China, some countries are taking precautionary measures to protect their citizens.
