We Will Never Allow Any Virus Cover-up: Beijing

The mainland on Friday denied 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 Organisation. 

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian acknowledged that the virus's rapid spread had contributed to undercounting that resulted in China raising its death toll earlier on 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 Organisation (WHO), were an attempt at "smearing" Beijing, Zhao said.

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 mis-reporting".

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

US President Donald Trump – under fire himself for initially denying the seriousness of the pandemic – has accused the WHO of doing the same and being too trusting of Beijing’s assurances over the outbreak. 

Asked about the US allegations, Zhao defended the WHO and China.

"I think they are all smearing China and cooking up stories about China," he said, without specifying which countries he was referring to.

The mainland has largely brought the contagion under control domestically via tough measures including the unprecedented lockdown of Wuhan and tens of millions of people in surrounding areas, but not before it spread worldwide. (AFP)