Did China's authoritarianism help the coronavirus spread?
Fabian Kretschmer Beijing
February 5, 2020
As coronavirus cases in China continue to increase, the country's leadership is coming under scrutiny for its response. Authorities have been accused of covering up the outbreak when it first emerged.
Image: Reuters/C. G. Rawlins
Advertisement
China's top governing body, the Politburo Standing Committee, was unusually self-critical on Tuesday following a special meeting addressing the coronavirus outbreak.
"The outbreak is a major test of China's system and capacity for governance, and we must sum up the experience and draw a lesson from it," read a statement from the meeting broadcast on state-run television.
The committee, headed by President Xi Jinping, also criticized "deficiencies" in the country's healthcare and crisis management system.
The statements are a rare admission of guilt from China's Communist Party, which is known more for cover-ups than candor.
As the number of coronavirus infections and deaths increase daily, China's leadership and system is facing a major test. There is also evidence that Beijing has not been as transparent on the virus outbreak as it wants people to believe.
Zhong Nanshan, a doctor who helped expose the Chinese government's cover-up of the SARS outbreak in 2003, was recently made head of a special research panel assisting the National Health Commission on tackling the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Last week, Zhong's group issued an optimistic prediction: Cases of coronavirus would peak "within a week" and then begin to subside.
It has become clear that Zhong's prognosis was incorrect. As of Wednesday, February 5, the number of cases is more than 24,000 and rising. The number of fatalities is approaching 500, most of them in central China.
And there are potentially tens of thousands of suspected infections that have not been diagnosed in China due to the overburdened healthcare system.
The coronavirus cover-up?
The coronavirus outbreak is testing the cult of personality built around President Xi, under which party subordinates are wary of passing bad news onto superiors.
Last week, the mayor of Wuhan, Zhou Xianwang, told media that the city's crisis management had "not been good enough," adding that informing the public about the first coronavirus cases had been delayed for weeks due to "government regulations." To read between the lines: Zhou needed permission first from Beijing.
New reports have also come to light about how the local government in Hubei province tried to cover up the outbreak in December.
One example that recently surfaced involved a doctor in Wuhan who tried to warn colleagues on social media in December about a mysterious SARS-like virus that he was seeing in patients.
After authorities in Wuhan picked up on his messages, he and his colleagues were warned to stop "spreading rumors" and were temporarily detained.
A few weeks later, it was reported that the doctor who tried to sound the early warning had been infected with the coronavirus.
And a recent study funded by China's science ministry on the transmission of the coronavirus published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that "human-to-human transmission had occurred among close contacts" as early as the middle of December 2019.
However, in the early stages of the outbreak, there was little information about the virus, and no precautionary warning, shared with the Chinese public. Lunar New Year's preparations continued, and the dangerous, highly contagious virus began to spread.
Now that the gravity of the coronavirus outbreak has become clear, many Chinese, especially the younger generation, are quietly criticizing the country's slide into authoritarian rule under President Xi.
"I am 100% certain that Communist Party cadres did not report news of the virus outbreak because it would have ruined their chances of being promoted," said a young man at a cafe in Beijing.
"People like me, who only want the best for our country, cannot talk openly anymore. One day we will start to ask why we cannot access uncensored information online."
Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19
Since the first cases were confirmed in December 2019, the flu-like COVID-19 virus exploded into a global pandemic, killing tens of thousands of people and infecting around 800,000. Scientists scramble for a vaccine.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/SOPA Images/A. Marzo
Pneumonia-like virus hits Wuhan
On December 31, 2019, China notifies the World Health Organization of a string of respiratory infections in the city of Wuhan, home to some 11 million people. The root virus is unknown and disease experts around the world begin working to identify it. The strain is traced to a seafood market in the city, which is quickly shut down. Some 40 people are initially reported to be infected.
Image: Imago Images/UPI Photo/S. Shaver
First death in China
On January 11, China announces the first death from the coronavirus — a 61-year-old man, who had shopped at the Wuhan market, dies from complications with pneumonia. Like SARS and the common cold, scientists identified that the new virus is in the coronavirus family. It is temporarily named 2019-nCoV. Symptoms include fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia.
Image: Reuters/Str
Virus reaches neighboring countries
In the following days, countries such as Thailand and Japan begin to report cases of infections in people who had visited the same Wuhan market. In China, a second fatality is confirmed in the city. By January 20, three people have died in China and more than 200 are infected.
Image: Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Millions under lockdown
China places Wuhan on quarantine on January 23 in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus. Transportation is suspended and workers attempt to quickly build a new hospital to treat infected patients, which total over 830 by January 24, as the death toll climbs to 26. Officials eventually extend the lockdown to 13 other cities, affecting at least 36 million people.
Image: AFP/STR
A global health emergency?
More and more cases are confirmed outside of China, including in South Korea, the US, Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. As the number of infections rises, the World Health Organization on January 23 determines that it's "too early" to declare a global public health emergency.
Image: Getty Images/X. Chu
Coronavirus reaches Europe
On January 24, French authorities confirm three cases of the new coronavirus within its borders, marking the disease's first appearance in Europe. Hours later, Australia confirms four people have been infected with the respiratory virus.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Mortagne
First cases confirmed in Germany
On January 27, Germany announces its first known case of the virus — a 33-year-old in Bavaria who contracted it during a workplace training with a visiting Chinese colleague. He is put under quarantine and observation at a Munich hospital. The following day, three of his colleagues are confirmed infected. The death toll in China reaches 132, with around 6,000 infected worldwide.
Image: Reuters/A. Uyanik
WHO declares global health emergency
On January 30, the UN's World Health Organization (WHO) declares coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern in a bid to protect countries with "weaker health systems." However, WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus does not recommend trade and travel restrictions, saying these would be "an unnecessary disruption."
Image: picture-alliance/KEYSTONE/J.-C. Bott
First death outside China
The first death linked to the novel coronavirus outside of China is reported in the Philippines on February 2. A 44-year-old Chinese man had traveled from Wuhan to Manila before falling ill and being taken to hospital, where he later died of pneumonia.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/T. Aljibe
Bad ending to a cruise
Also on February 3, the cruise ship Diamond Princess is quarantined off Yokohama in Japan after cases of the new coronavirus were found on board. As of February 17, the number of people infected has grown to more than 450, the largest cluster of cases outside of China. Several of the 3,700 passengers and crew onboard the ship are being or have been flown back to their home countries.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/kyodo
Italy under quarantine
Cases in Italy rise dramatically, with 77 deaths and thousands of confirmed cases by March 3. Many countries instigate travel restrictions to northern Italy and tourist numbers plummet. On March 8, the Italian government put the entire Lombardy region into quarantine, affecting 16 million people. March 10 sees 168 fatalities in Italy, the highest in a single day.
Image: Reuters/R. Casilli
Economic woes
European and US stock markets slump on March 6, leading to the worst week since the 2008 financial crisis. The effect on global business has been significant, with many companies reporting losses and the tourism industry and airlines badly hit. The EU pledge €7.5 billion ($8.4 billion) on March 10 in an investment fund to try to stop the Eurozone falling into a recession.
Image: picture-alliance/Jiji Press/M. Taguchi
WHO declares outbreak as pandemic
As worldwide cases top 127,000 and deaths pass 4,700, the World Health Organization designates the global outbreak as a "pandemic" on March 11. US President Donald Trump announces a travel restriction on people coming from the Schengen Zone in Europe, annoying the EU. German Chancellor Angela Merkel announces that in Germany, 70% of the population could get the virus.
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot
Public life on hold in Europe
On March 14, Spain joins Italy in imposing a near-total nationwide lockdown to prevent the virus spreading. The population of 46 million is told not to leave their homes unless for essential tasks. In France, cafés, restaurants and non-essential shops are closed as of March 15. Many public events in Germany are cancelled and schools close.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AAB. Akbulut
International travel severely restricted
As of March 15, many countries impose strict travel bans or restrictions in an attempt to stop the spread of Covid-19. For example, New Zealand and Australia require all international passengers to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival in the country. The US extends a European travel ban to include the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot
Germany imposes partial lockdown
In a landmark televised address German Chancellor Angela Merkel announces far-reaching restrictions on everyday life on March 22, banning meetings between more than two people not from the same household outside of the workplace. The country has a surprisingly low death rate, a phenomenon attributed to a high level of testing, and a high number of intensive care beds.
Image: picture-alliance/EibnerT. Hahn
Virus strikes at top as UK locks down
On March 23rd Britain becomes the latest country to impose restrictions on personal freedoms, with people only allowed to leave their homes in a limited number of circumstances. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is diagnosed with the viruson March 27, as well as heir to the throne Prince Charles on March 25. Meanwhile, there are complaints that not everyone is taking social distancing seriously.
Image: picture-alliance/R. Pinney
Grim milestone for the US
On March 27 the US overtakes China in terms of the number of people infected, making it the country with the most cases of COVID-19. This came as President Donald Trump claimed that the nation would get back to work "pretty quickly." At the same time, it emerged that more than 3 million Americans had lost their jobs due to the pandemic. New York is worst-hit, with a hospital ship sent to help out.
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot/J. Fischer
Spain's surging death toll
Spain also overtakes China in the number of COVID-19 cases on March 30, as the government toughens the severity of its lockdown. All non-essential activities are halted. Only Italy has a higher death toll than Spain. Most affected is the capital, Madrid. With funeral services overwhelmed, officials turn the Palacio de Hielo ice skating rink into a temporary morgue.
Image: picture-alliance/Geisler-Fotopress
More than a million
On April 2nd the Johns Hopkins University announced on Thursday that there were more than a million confirmed coronavirus cases around the world. The US is the most affected with three times the number than China, where the virus emerged in December. Over 50.000 people have died — and the outlook remains grim.
Image: Reuters/J. Redmond
UK PM Boris Johnson hospitalized
The 55-year-old was admitted to the intensive care unit at London's St Thomas hospital on Monday evening (6.4.) and was given oxygen treatment after his condition worsened. He had been diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 27.
Image: AFP/10 Downing Street
21 images1 | 21
Google, Facebook and international media, which are currently blocked in China, were all freely accessible 10 years ago. Uncensored information about the outbreak, for example, is only available in China via illegal VPN software, which can also be shut down at the discretion of authorities.
Chinese censors play a nervous cat-and-mouse game with users behind the "great firewall." For example, negative commentary under a health committee live stream will be quickly erased.
Despite Beijing's attempt to control the narrative, many people comment on Chinese social media that they do not trust information on the coronavirus coming from authorities and accuse officials of an incompetent response.
For example, the governor of Hubei province drew a surge of criticism on Chinese social media for fudging the numbers of protective face masks during a press conference. He told a journalist that 10.8 billion masks had been produced.
After he was handed a stat sheet, he corrected himself that the real number was 1.8 billion. A few minutes later, he had to admit that the correct number of masks was actually only 1.8 million.
"It's no wonder that this virus was able to spread with such force," commented a user on China's version of twitter, Weibo.
President Xi has called for a "stronger guidance of public opinion" in China. And the bigger the crisis, the more authorities will try and control the message.
