WHO asks China for Reliable Data As They Consider That the Figures “Do Not Reflect the True Impact” of the Outbreak

The lack of information and transparency about contagion in China raises many questions. Today, the World Health Organization has said that they don’t believe the data provided.

China is suffering the worst wave of coronavirus to date. Corpses piled up in the morgues, overcrowding in hospitals and an explosion of contagions that is becoming increasingly evident within the Asian country.

Despite the number of people being infected, the country continues to report few deaths linked to the coronavirus. That is why the World Health Organization (WHO) has asked the authorities for “faster, more regular and reliable” data to be adjusted to the true impact of the infection.

“We believe that the current figures released by China underestimate the real impact of the disease in terms of hospital admissions, intensive care admissions and especially in terms of deaths,” said Michael Ryan, WHO Director of Health Emergencies.

The truth is that in recent weeks China has changed its policy and now only those killed by respiratory failure linked to the coronavirus are counted in the statistics. A method that the WHO has considered unclear. “We think this definition is too narrow,” said Ryan.

Along the same lines as the emergency officer, the general director of the agency has also stressed the need for truthful information on hospitalizations and deaths, as well as the most complete and real-time sequence of the virus.

“These figures are useful to WHO and the world, and we urge all countries to share them. Data remain essential for WHO to conduct regular, rapid and robust risk assessments of the current situation and to adapt its advice and guidelines accordingly,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The new Chinese variant of the coronavirus is already present in Spain and also in other European countries. Experts say it is more contagious, but not more serious. ” If there were a mutation to a different variant we could face many infections but of lesser severity,” explained the immunologist Alfredo Corell.

In his opinion, the restrictions on travellers from China will serve to “prevent more people from entering the country”. Also tests which will help to “cut off entrance of more viruses”.