The WHO chief has repeatedly praised China’s handling of the outbreak. But there’s been emerging anecdotal reports of authorities’ slow response to the outbreak in its early days.
The mayor of Wuhan, the outbreak’s epicenter, said in an interview with China’s Central Television Network last month that he couldn’t make an announcement early on as he was awaiting clearance from the central government.
A local doctor in Wuhan who tried to sound the alarm on the mysterious disease producing pneumonia-like symptoms in December revealed how his actions were met with warnings by local police not to spread rumors.
The WHO aid chief’s positive remarks over China’s response has received some criticisms on social media, but some experts have expressed how WHO is likely in a delicate political position.
“Tedros understandably has his main aim to foster a cooperative relationship with China. This might best be achieved by not publicly criticizing the government,” said Lawrence Gostin, professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.