WHO: "China Must Share COVID-19 Spread Information in Real Time"

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO)
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dong-hyun] The World Health Organization (WHO) has demanded that China share real-time information regarding the spread of COVID-19.

On the 30th (local time), WHO announced on its website that it held discussions with senior Chinese health officials about the COVID-19 infection situation.

According to major foreign media such as AFP, officials from China's National Health Commission and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention who attended the meeting briefed WHO on their country's COVID-19 variant tracking and vaccination efforts.

At the meeting, WHO demanded that "(China) regularly share specific and real-time information on the infectious disease situation and vaccination status." It was reported that WHO emphasized the importance of information including genomic sequencing, hospitalization and death figures related to COVID-19, as well as vaccination status of vulnerable groups such as those aged 60 and above.

Earlier, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, "WHO needs more detailed information to comprehensively assess the risk of the COVID-19 situation in China."

WHO also requested China to strengthen genomic sequencing, clinical management, and impact assessment.

Meanwhile, Chinese experts are scheduled to present detailed information on genomic sequencing at the 'Technical Advisory Group on the Evolution of COVID-19' (TAG-VE) meeting on the 3rd of next month.