Chinese envoy disputes U.S. intel reports alleging China hid COVID-19 cases
China’s ambassador to the U.S. has dismissed reports Beijing covered up a number of coronavirus cases. On Saturday, the Chinese official stressed the government would not be reopening schools and stores in the country if it weren't for the fact infections are slowing down.
A health worker prepares to take off her protective clothing after administering tests for the coronavirus in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province on Friday, April 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 1:45 PM PT — Saturday, April 4, 2020
China’s ambassador to the U.S. has dismissed reports Beijing covered up a number of coronavirus cases. On Saturday, the Chinese official stressed the government would not be reopening schools and stores in the country if it weren’t for the fact infections are slowing down.
These comments came after U.S. intelligence alleged China intentionally underreported the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths within their country.
According to the envoy, hiding the number of patients who have coronavirus would be impossible since China is such a big country.
“Many of our provinces, schools are open again. You cannot do all these things if you have no confidence that you are able to contain the virus. The numbers of affected people is coming down.”
– Cui Tiankai, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S.
The Chinese government has also fiercely denied the intelligence report, saying the U.S. is trying to shift blame for its own handling of the coronavirus outbreak.
A Chinese national flag is flown at half staff on top of a building in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei Province, Saturday, April 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Meanwhile, New York is set to receive 1,000 ventilators from China. Governor Andrew Cuomo has said the ventilators will arrive on Saturday as the state works to find more of the breathing machines for their infected COVID-19 patients.
Cuomo thanked the donors, who cofounded the Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba.
Earlier this week, Cuomo announced the state would run out of ventilators by Tuesday or Wednesday if the number of patients continued to grow at the current rate.
“That’s going to be very helpful,” he said. “I want to thank Ambassador Huang very much for his help in making all of this happen, because this is a big deal and it’s going to make a significant difference for us.”
Along with New York, Louisiana has reportedly requested 14,000 ventilators from the federal government.
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