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WHO criticises China for "under-representing" COVID cases, "narrow" definition of infected deaths

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WHO is concerned about the risk to life in China and has reiterated the importance of vaccination, including booster doses, to protect against hospitalization, severe disease, and death.

Geneva, Jan 06: The World Health Organization has accused China of "under-representing" the severity of its Covid outbreak while criticising its "narrow" definition of what constitutes a Covid death.

The top global health officials urge Beijing to share more data about the spread of the coronavirus. "We continue to ask China for more rapid, regular, reliable data on hospitalizations and deaths, as well as more comprehensive, real-time viral sequencing," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a media briefing. "WHO is concerned about the risk to life in China and has reiterated the importance of vaccination, including booster doses, to protect against hospitalization, severe disease, and death," he added.

WHO criticises China for under-representing COVID cases, narrow definition of infected deaths

Explaining further, WHO executive director for health emergencies Mike Ryan claimed the numbers released by China "under-represent the true impact of the disease" in terms of hospital and ICU admissions, as well as deaths, reported CNN. He highlighted that many countries have seen lags in reporting hospital data, but pointed to China's "narrow" definition of a Covid death as part of the issue.

Covid ravaging China, no beds for patientsCovid ravaging China, no beds for patients

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The country only lists those Covid patients who succumbed to respiratory failure as having died of Covid. In the two weeks prior to January 5, China reported fewer than 20 deaths from local Covid cases, according to figures released on the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

However, on Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry said the country has always shared epidemic information "in a timely, open and transparent manner" and insisted its Covid situation was "under control," reported CNN.

The Covid-19 cases in China witnessed a sudden surge in December after the Chinese Communist Party relaxed the zero-Covid policy. The scale of the current outbreak has made it difficult for the authorities to track the Covid infections, following the end of the mandatory mass testing as part of the easing of Covid restrictions.

China seeks to minimize COVID-19 risk during Lunar New Year travel rushChina seeks to minimize COVID-19 risk during Lunar New Year travel rush

Meanwhile, China is seeking to minimize the possibility of a major new COVID-19 outbreak during this month's Lunar New Year travel rush following the end of most pandemic containment measures. The Transportation Ministry on Friday called on travelers to reduce trips and gatherings, particularly if they involve elderly people, pregnant women, small children and those with underlying conditions, PTI reported.

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