China has refuted accusations of concealing Covid infection or death figures, asserting that the severity of illness and death in the country is comparable to that of other nations, as reported by the media on Friday.

Rebuttal of Allegations

The Beijing embassy in Washington, DC, responded to the allegations after several countries, including the World Health Organization (WHO), raised concerns about China withholding actual Covid figures. They urged China to transparently disclose information about the surge in infections and hospitalizations.

Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for Beijing’s Washington embassy, stated in a news briefing that China has consistently shared its information and data responsibly with the international community. He mentioned that Chinese scientists are collaborating with WHO to discuss the data, indicating two recent exchanges with the organization.

WHO’s Concerns

Last week, Mike Ryan, the WHO’s emergencies director, expressed concerns that the figures reported by China might underestimate hospital admissions, ICU admissions, and especially death numbers.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged the challenges posed by the lack of comprehensive information from China, stating that countries are acting to protect their populations in the absence of such data.

Changes in Reporting

China’s National Health Commission (NHC) has ceased publishing daily Covid-19 case data, transferring the responsibility to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This move comes as various nations, including India, urge China to share accurate Covid data promptly.

However, the CDC will require some time to activate the epidemic monitoring reporting system effectively and begin collecting and reporting infection data.