Corona virus: China admits “shortcomings”

Beijing – The Chinese leadership has admitted “deficiencies and deficits” in responding to the outbreak of lung disease.

After a meeting chaired by head of state and party leader Xi Jinping, the Politburo said, according to state television: “We have to summarize the experience and learn from it.” The national crisis management must be improved. The health system should be examined – and “shortcomings” would have to be remedied.

Over night, the number of confirmed infections and deaths from the coronavirus skyrocketed again. According to the Chinese health authority, there are 20,438 confirmed illnesses – 3,225 new cases compared to Monday. The number of fatalities rose by 64 to 425. It was again the largest increase in infections with the novel corona virus and deaths within a day.

Hong Kong had the second death outside of mainland China. The hospital authority of the Chinese special administrative regions confirmed the death of a 39-year-old. As the South China Morning Post reported, the man had visited the city of Wuhan, which was severely affected by the virus. A patient had previously died in the Philippines. Around 200 infections in around two dozen countries are confirmed worldwide.

To date, twelve cases of infected people are known in Germany. Ten are related to the Bavarian automotive supplier Webasto – including two children of one employee. An infected colleague from China had visited Webasto and only noticed her illness on the return flight. In addition, the virus had been found in two passengers who had been brought back from Wuhan on a Bundeswehr aircraft at the weekend.

Countries like the USA, Australia, New Zealand or Israel have imposed entry restrictions for Chinese or foreigners who come from China. Taiwan also no longer wants to allow Chinese and foreigners to enter the country without special permission if they were in the People’s Republic 14 days earlier. However, travelers could apply for visas as long as they were not in the severely affected Hubei province, as well as in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces, which also have high numbers of infections.

At the meeting of the Politburo in Beijing, China’s President Xi Jinping called for “quick and decisive” measures to contain the disease, the state news agency Xinhua reported. He called for “strict enforcement” of orders and bans. The fight against the epidemic is not just about people’s lives and health, but also about economic and social stability.

The party meeting further emphasized that the supply of medical protective material had to be secured and the infection and mortality rate reduced. Party committees and governments at all levels were called upon to bring the epidemic under control, but also to achieve “the goals of economic and social development” this year. The outbreak is an “important test of China’s system and ability to govern”.

The meeting also called for a determined implementation of the ban on trade in wild animals that had just been issued. The Politburo said that action must be taken against illegal wildlife markets. The authorities suspect that the novel corona virus from wild animals originated from a market in Wuhan. The first infections occurred among visitors to the market.

The end of the epidemic is not yet in sight. Chinese experts estimate that the outbreak could peak in 10 to 14 days. However, preventive measures would have to be strengthened. More people have died from the new lung disease in mainland China than from the Sars pandemic 17 years ago. The Sars pandemic (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2002/2003 had 349 deaths in mainland China. There were also 299 deaths in Hong Kong. There were 774 deaths worldwide.
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