Is The Chinese Government 'Covering Up' The Spread Of The Coronavirus?

People queue to receive treatment at the fever outpatient department of the Wuhan Tongji Hospital in Wuhan on January 22. The local government today said that the city was witnessing a surge in the number of its fever patients and that hospitals were running out of beds

Daily Mail: Chinese citizens fear the government is keeping information about the coronavirus secret as critics are silenced and official updates about the outbreak are 'quickly deleted' from social media

* The Chinese government has attempted to be transparent about the new coronavirus outbreak
* But citizens are wary, remembering when officials covered up the SARS epidemic from 2002 to 2004
* Authorities first led the public to believe the coronavirus outbreak was 'under control' and 'mild'
* Social media posts with updates about the outbreak are also 'quickly deleted'
* So far, more than 800 cases have been confirmed across the globe and 25 people have died

Chinese citizens fear the government is not disclosing every thing it knows about the new, mysterious coronavirus that is spreading across the globe.

The virus, known as 2019-nCoV, was first discovered in the city of Wuhan, home to 11 million people and capital of the Hubei province.

So far figures show more than 800 people have been sickened and 25 have died, and China's government, which has tight control on the country's media and Internet, has been showing signs of greater transparency than usual.

But citizen are wary, remembering how authorities covered up the SARS outbreak from 2002 to 2004, which - experts say - led to so many deaths.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: If these images are true, you know that this situation has gotten out of control .... Shocking footage shows hospital in China flooded with hundreds of patients amid deadly coronavirus outbreak as leading expert warns the situation 'is already uncontrollable' (Daily Mail)

Update #1: When the medical staff are getting sick, that is even more evidence that the situation is out of control .... China coronavirus: Wuhan medical staff being infected at much faster pace than reported as national death toll hits 25 (SCMP)

Update #2: A coincidence? .... China built a lab to study SARS and Ebola in Wuhan - and US biosafety experts warned in 2017 that a virus could 'escape' the facility that's become key in fighting the outbreak (Daily Mail).

Update #3: The official Chinese government line is to be positive .... Chinese state media downplays coronavirus as Xi strikes positive tone (The Guardian).

More News On The Wuhan Coronavirus

China confirms 1st death outside epicenter of viral outbreak -- AP
China virus death toll mounts to 25, infections spread -- Reuters
Chinese cities cancel New Year celebrations, travel ban widens in effort to stop coronavirus outbreak -- Washington Post
China coronavirus: 25 dead, while eight cities on lockdown -- SCMP
China coronavirus: Fears infections will rise as hundreds of millions travel -- BBC