Chinese government ‘ordered coronavirus cover-up’ when scientists raised alarm in December, report claims

THE Chinese government ordered a coronavirus cover-up after scientists raised an alarm about the killer bug in December, a new report has claimed.

Sick patients in Wuhan were tested by genomics companies who found similarities between their illnesses and SARS.

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According to , researchers told Beijing about their findings but were ordered to keep quiet by China’s National Health Commission.

Local officials did not tell the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention about the outbreak when they visited Wuhan on January 8.

Rather than trying to contain the virus, Wuhan officials then went ahead with an annual potluck dinner for 40,000 families.

DEADLY OUTBREAK

News of the outbreak only surfaced on January 20 and China launched a huge operation to prevent it from spreading.

They shut down Wuhan and a mass quarantine was ordered three days later.

It comes as twelve more people have tested positive for coronavirus in England today – bringing the total number of UK cases to 35.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock also warned entire British cities could be locked down if the virus outbreak escalates.

Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, said three of the patients were close contacts of a known case that was transmitted within the UK – believed to be a Surrey resident.

Two school workers are among the new victims and another patient, from Essex, caught the bug within England.

Health officers are scrambling to discover whether they caught it “directly or indirectly” from an individual who had recently travelled abroad.

Of the eight remaining cases, six had recently travelled from Italy, while two had been in Iran.

The newly infected Brits are from London, West Yorkshire, Bury in Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire and Gloucestershire.

SPREADING IN BRITAIN

All of the cases are being investigated and health officials have begun tracing anyone who had close contact with them.

Mr Hancock said despite a “huge economic and social downside”, following China’s lead and isolating UK cities if the situation worsens remains a possibility.

On isolating entire cities, as Chinese authorities did with Wuhan, Mr Hancock told the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme: “There is clearly a huge economic and social downside to that.

“But we don’t take anything off the table at this stage because you have to make sure you have all the tools available if that is what is necessary.”

The Health Secretary confirmed that banning public gatherings and cancelling football matches were being considered by the government, which closing schools may be “necessary”.

Boris Johnson has now set up a war room to prevent a coronavirus epidemic in Britain.

This afternoon he visited the Public Health England National Infection Service in North London.

Downing Street has ordered a team of scientists and officials to work round-the-clock with public safety the “top priority”.