-Number of asymptomatic infected cases revised from initially announced 1,366 to 1,367
-Asymptomatic infection statistics now list only current cases, excluding cumulative numbers
[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] As of the 1st, China revised and announced that the number of asymptomatic infections of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is 1,367. This asymptomatic infection statistic was announced at a time when there are almost no new confirmed COVID-19 cases within China, excluding cases imported from overseas. Until now, distrust has only grown due to deliberate omission of asymptomatic infection statistics, creating the illusion that the situation had calmed down.
On the 1st, the National Health Commission of China announced on its website that as of midnight, there were 36 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 7 additional deaths. Among the 36 new confirmed cases, 35 were imported cases infected overseas and entering China, and only 1 new case was newly infected within China (Guangdong Province). The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in China so far is 81,554.
However, when including the asymptomatic infections newly reflected in the statistics from this day, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases swells like a snowball. The Health Commission announced that 130 new asymptomatic infections were added in one day, bringing the current total to 1,367 asymptomatic infections. This number was also revised late from the initially announced 1,366 to 1,367 before being posted on the website. Furthermore, only the current number of asymptomatic infections was announced, not the cumulative total. Those asymptomatic infected individuals who have recovered and been released from quarantine will be excluded from the daily announced asymptomatic statistics, creating a 'gap.'
An asymptomatic infected person refers to someone who tests positive for COVID-19 but does not exhibit specific symptoms such as fever, cough, or sore throat. While many countries, including South Korea, include asymptomatic infections when classifying confirmed COVID-19 patients, China had only separately tallied asymptomatic infections without publicly announcing them. This made it appear as if the COVID-19 situation in China was rapidly calming down.
The addition of asymptomatic infections to the statistics from this day reflects concerns both inside and outside China that COVID-19 is still spreading due to infections from these individuals.
The Health Commission stated that it will announce daily reports on asymptomatic infections and publicly disclose management status and other information. According to guidelines, Chinese medical institutions must report asymptomatic infections online within 2 hours of detection and complete epidemiological investigations and registration of close contacts within 24 hours. Not only asymptomatic patients but also close contacts are quarantined in designated accommodations for 14 days and undergo medical observation.
However, criticism has been raised that China's announcement of asymptomatic infection statistics was a 'belated response,' only increasing distrust in the statistics.
On February 13, when additional confirmed COVID-19 cases were declining, the Health Commission suddenly changed the criteria for confirmed cases by including patients clinically diagnosed through computed tomography (CT) and other methods, resulting in nearly a tenfold surge in new cases compared to usual. This meant that patients who should have been classified as confirmed cases earlier were included in the statistics late. However, as the number of confirmed cases continued to surge due to the criteria change, clinical diagnosis cases were excluded again from confirmed case statistics after a week. This reversion of statistical methods created the appearance of a rapid decrease in new confirmed COVID-19 cases in China.
There have also been ongoing suspicions that China has underreported the number of COVID-19 deaths. It is said that many people who died either as asymptomatic infected individuals or without proper COVID-19 testing due to lack of hospital beds have not been counted. Ahead of the lifting of the Wuhan lockdown on the 8th of this month, local media reports have continued to reveal that the number of COVID-19 victims' remains collected at eight funeral homes in Wuhan is much higher than the government’s announced death toll.
A funeral transport truck driver interviewed stated that he transported about 5,000 remains over two days on the 25th and 26th of last month. According to the Chinese government’s announcement, since the first infection at the end of last year, 2,535 people have died of COVID-19 in Wuhan. An anonymous official said, "During the chaotic period from mid-January to February, some patients suspected of COVID-19 infection were not included in the official statistics."
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