China hid the severity of its coronavirus outbreak and muzzled whistleblowers -- because it can
Nearly six weeks after China announced the coronavirus outbreak, theres still a surprising amount we dont know about this newly discovered disease. But one thing is becoming clear: Chinas silence in the earliest days of the crisis may have made it worse.
Chinese authorities delayed informing the world about the severity of a deadly disease spreading within the countrys borders even trying to muzzle whistleblowers, like the late Dr. Li Wenliang. Now hailed as a national hero, Li was forced on January 3 by police to sign a letter saying he spread untrue speech for warning colleagues about the virus that eventually took his life.
With more than 40,500 people infected and 910 deaths, Chinas missteps early on seem increasingly fateful. The fact that the international community has not acknowledged those missteps is also consequential.
On Friday, President Trump applauded China. Theyre working really hard and I think theyre doing a very professional job, Trump told ABC News. Meanwhile, the leading global health body, the World Health Organization, has stayed mum about Chinas blunders and is drawing criticism for failing to publicly criticize the country and creating a false sense of security about an emerging health crisis.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-hid-the-severity-of-its-coronavirus-outbreak-and-muzzled-whistleblowers-because-it-can/ar-BBZQL8Q?ocid=msn360
And Trumpy wants to muzzle whistleblowers.