China Denies Cover-up in Coronavirus Outbreak

By Staff, Agencies

China denied Friday Western suggestions it had covered up the extent of its coronavirus outbreak and rejected US allegations it has an overly cozy relationship with the World Health Organization.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian acknowledged that the virus's rapid spread had contributed to under-counting that resulted in China raising its death toll earlier Friday, but added "there has never been any concealment, and we'll never allow any concealment."

The allegations China is too close to the World Health Organization [WHO], were an attempt at "smearing" Beijing, Zhao said.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump questioned China's handling of the pandemic and whether it had been completely transparent since the virus emerged in the central city of Wuhan late last year.

Wuhan authorities cited several reasons for the missed cases, including that the city's medical staff were overwhelmed in the early days as infections climbed, leading to "late reporting, omissions or misreporting".

Zhao said such miscounting was to be expected in the initial stages of a major disease outbreak.