The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the global coronavirus pandemic originated, has lifted its lockdown restrictions after two and a half months.
Wuhan has been under lockdown since Jan. 23, well after the virus began to spread. The origins of the virus remain unknown although some reports have suggested that it started because of exotic wildlife served as food in wet markets, while others have suggested that the virus originated from a lab in Wuhan. (RELATED: FLASHBACK: Jan. 21: Fauci Says ‘Not A Major Threat’ To U.S.)
The number of fatalities in the area is unknown as the Chinese Communist Party has been accused of falsifying and undercounting the number of deaths that have occurred in the country. Experts have estimated that more than 40,000 people perished during the outbreak in China, and an unverified report published Tuesday by Radio Free Asia said that China may have been cremating patients while they were still alive.
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at a China-France Economic Forum at the Great Hall of the People on November 6, 2019 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Florence Lo – Pool/Getty Images)
The extent of China’s cover-up and the role international groups such as the World Health Organization (WHO) played in it has become an international scandal, with members of Congress vowing an investigation into China’s grip on the organization. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was considering halting U.S. aid to the WHO over corruption concerns. Over 10,000 Americans have died as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. (RELATED: Poll: More Americans Trust Trump Than Biden To Manage Coronavirus Crisis. Obama Trusted The Most)
“The W.H.O. really blew it,” Trump said. “For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look.”