Covid-19: What is China hiding?

It is profoundly commendable, if China has found an efficient method to contain the transmission of this dangerous epidemic with such great control and restrict it primarily to just one province in such a large nation. It is also extremely commendable, if they could treat and cure over 96% of the Covid-19 cases, despite being a source nation. For China to accomplish these amazing results better than most advanced nations in the world, with comparatively efficient health infrastructure and medical professionals is noteworthy

On the international case score board of Covid-19, China, the source country for this deadly pandemic has impressive numbers. China which knowingly or unknowingly gave birth to Covid-19 or SARS-COV-2 in Wuhan in December of 2019, has a surprising freeze on the number of Covid-19 cases and related deaths, since many weeks now.

China as of today records 82,747 cases, of which 77,084 recovered and 4,632 died. On the other hand, the cases and deaths across the world are mindboggling and unimaginably painful, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel so far. As of today, there are 2,41,8479 cases, 6,33,000 recoveries and 1,78,371 related deaths, which should baffle and unsettle China, even if they were to be not solely responsible for the birth of this deadly contagion. However, China with its usual demeanor seems to care less, even as this mega humanitarian crisis continues to ravage the world.

Especially for China, the rest of the world is not just an extended neighborhood but long patronising customer blocks too. There is no country in the world, which does not buy from China. In fact, that should drive China to be more responsible and treat the rest of the world with more compassion and empathy.

Current case statistics on Covid-19 clearly establishes the fact that China has been successful in containing the transmission of this epidemic on their shores. What is startling is also the fact, that China with its unique demographic challenge of being the largest population in the world, with highest density and physical congestion could contain the spread so effectively in such a short span.

With an exception of Hubei province where 67,803 cases and 3,212 deaths were reported, there are barely 6 other provinces in China where Covid-19 could spread, with just less than 1,500 cases in each. Wuhan, the origin city of this deadly pandemic happens to be from this province.

Secret recipe for China success

It is profoundly commendable, if China has found an efficient method to contain the transmission of this dangerous epidemic with such great control and restrict it primarily to just one province in such a large nation.

It is also extremely commendable, if they could treat and cure over 96% of the Covid-19 cases, despite being a source nation. For China to accomplish these amazing results better than most advanced nations in the world, with comparatively efficient health infrastructure and medical professionals is noteworthy.

China should have been prepared and possessed the below capabilities to be in such a good shape, in comparison to the rest of the world:

• Testing labs & superfast results

• Tracing protocols & technology

• Isolation protocols / policy / infrastructure

• Treatment protocols / drugs / infrastructure

• Containment protocols / technology / infrastructure

• Almost zero transmission after WUHAN re-opening

If these measures were, what saved China ahead of the world, should China not share their expertise and 'know-how' to contain Covid-19 across the world? Is it not their fundamental responsibility as a source nation?

China should have by now, exchanged notes with their immediate neighbors like India and other SARC nations. Also, it should have with fellow member states of the UN Security Council, G7 nations, G20 nations and with the rest of the world, as bare human ethics demand at the anvil of such unprecedented pain, death and suffering.

Big questions the world should ask

• Why China did not share the secret recipe of their success with the world so far?

• Why is China withholding information which can save millions of lives?

• What are China's intentions in being non-transparent on Covid-19?

• Why China is maintaining stoic silence since December 2019 on this pandemic?

• Why was WHO (World Health Organization) manipulated with wrong information since the first case in December 2019 from Wuhan?

• Why were world nations not alerted by China, even after they have figured out the potential transmission of this virus from human to human in December 2019?

• Why were world nations not alerted when the first case outside China was reported in Thailand, in the first half of January 2020 either by China or WHO?

Suspicious secrecy

China calls itself a 'socialist consultative democracy', however it neither adopts socialism nor democracy in letter or spirit. China is a closed society and is run by a single party communist government after Communist Party of China took over its reins in 1949.

The world has no other expectation from China, than to deliver its goods as ordered. However, Covid-19 pandemic, China's suspicious secrecy and unusual behavior of this virus in the source nation, has certainly raised many red flags world over.

As any Epidemiologist will vouch, this pandemic has no two natures. The genome of this virus is unique, so is its impact on humans. While the 'herd-immunity' is an eventuality, without the possibility of a vaccine in near term, the promise of reduced deaths lie in testing, isolation and post-infection treatment for now.

A nation like India cannot afford to experience what United States of America is already experiencing. Close to a million active cases and already hundreds of thousand deaths on its shores, the USA is facing its historic challenge since its birth. Despite well-funded medical research, institutionalised health infrastructure and world class medical and para medical professionals, the USA and Europe have already experienced the collapse of their decades-old confidence and their presumed strength to contain an eventuality. One can imagine the plight of underdeveloped and developing nations with meagre health infrastructure, if this pandemic starts peaking in these nations, sooner than later.

Courage to question China

The world leaders should have strength to speak out and question this dangerous silence shrouded with suspicion in China's Covid-19 pandemic handling. The world has a right to know, why China is hiding and what it is hiding.

Nations who call themselves superpowers and developed economies should have spine and courage to question China, despite their understandable dependency on this mega manufacturing factory of the world.

The daily Covid-19 updates across the world are not just numbers on the board. These are millions of unfortunate full-blooded humans, whose life has been shortened for no fault, and are dying undignified solitary deaths, which is certainly not deserving.

(The author is the chief spokesperson of BJP Telangana State, an organisational strategist and a global leadership coach)