Coronavirus to be contained by April: Chinese adviser known as ‘SARS hero’ Zhong Nanshan

Zhong said that the number of people being infected had been declining

zhong-nanshan Zhong Nanshan | via Commons

The head of a high-level expert team on the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic has said that the outbreak could be contained in China by the end of April, China’s state-run CGTN news channel reported.

Speaking at a press conference, Zhong Nanshan said, “We are confident that it will be largely contained [in China] by the end of April”.

Zhong is popularly known as the ‘SARS hero’ for his role in spreading awareness during the 2003 SARS outbreak and is considered among China’s top respiratory experts. At the time, Zhong earned public respect after stating out loud that the virus was not under control by the state despite official narratives claiming it was.

Zhong has since been appointed to lead the National health Commission’s investigation into the coronavirus. At 84, he remains a popular figure in China, often posting pictures of his own physical fitness and has been a public relations mascot the the Chinese state’s efforts in combating the coronavirus outbreak.

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Zhong said that the number of people being infected had been declining. On February 26, China confirmed 2,750 new cases, with the total number over 77,000.

Zhong referred to a Lancet study published early on during the outbreak that estimated that the number of infected cases could reach 160,000 by early February, saying that this prediction didn’t take into account the powerful prevention and control measures undertaken by the Chinese government.

Zhong added that he virus may not have originated in China, as it is commonly believed, as many other countries have been reporting cases.

"It is a disease of humans, not of a country," Zhong said, adding, "We need more international cooperation...This morning I found that the number of new cases in China was less than that of abroad...South Korea, Iran and Italy are facing a quick increase in number of new confirmed cases. The measures China has taken may give them some inspiration."

Zhong said that on average, one coronavirus patient could infect two to three other people. He praised the government’s control measures for preventing large scale outbreaks from taking place in cities outside Hubei province.

However, a report by the Epoch Times claims, using government data allegedly leaked from Shandong Province, that China is under-reporting cases by up to 520 per cent.