Photo taken on Jan. 22, 2020 shows an exterior view of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland.Photo: Xinhua

 
China's National Health Commission (NHC) held a virtual meeting themed around technical exchange for COVID-19 prevention and control on Friday with the World Health Organization (WHO). Senior officials from the NHC and Chinese Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) attended the meeting. 

The two sides communicated on the current state of the epidemic, medical treatment, acute care and continued vaccination. The two sides agreed to maintain technical exchanges to facilitate early end of the pandemic. 

China is confronting a rapid surge of domestic COVID cases after relaxing some control measures in line with a changed landscape of viral contagion. 

In response to rumors that China's COVID death toll is being underreported, experts and officials from China's health authorities said that China has insisted on the principle of truth and openness in disclosing information on deaths and severe cases, and intends to uphold the principle. 

From a public health perspective, it is difficult to accurately assess the death rate during the early stages of an epidemic; however, when this period has passed, an accurate assessment can be made, according to Liang Wannian, head of China's COVID-19 response expert panel under the NHC.

"During current period, [we should] place priority on preventing severe cases and deaths. This is also the adjustment of the prevention focus - to put priority on preventing deaths," Liang said on Friday during a group interview together with other public health experts. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told an earlier routine press conference that " Since COVID-19 epidemic began, the Chinese side has been sharing information on the epidemic in a timely, open and transparent manner in accordance with the law and informing the WHO about China's COVID situation." 

China has always shared its information responsibly with the WHO and the international community and stands ready to work with the international community in solidarity, tackle the COVID challenge more effectively, better protect people's lives and health and jointly restore steady economic growth and build a global community of health for all, Mao said.

Global Times