After who criticized China on the epidemic toll provided by Beijing, China called on the organization to adopt a "neutral" position on the covid-19 outbreak

In early December, China suddenly lifted most of its measures to combat the covid-19 outbreak, which had provided extensive protection for its population since the virus since 2020.

But since the measures were lifted, China has been facing the worst covid-19 outbreak on its territory, which has put great pressure on hospitals and crematoria.

However, the authorities are only announcing a very limited number of covid-19-related deaths after a change in the methodology for counting victims, which has sparked controversy.

People who die directly from respiratory failure associated with covid-19 are now counted as victims of the virus.

This change in methodology means that many deaths are no longer counted as caused by covid.

This amendment does not reflect the actual situation, according to a large number of experts and the World Health Organization.

The World Health Organization criticized China's New "too narrow" definition of deaths caused by covid-19, stressing that the statistics are not consistent with the resurgence of the epidemic in the country, and renewed its support for conducting screenings for arrivals from China.

"We consider that the current figures published by China do not reflect the actual impact of the disease in terms of hospitalization, admission to intensive care, and especially deaths,"WHO Health Emergency Management Officer Michael Ryan said at a press conference in Geneva.

"We hope that the who will maintain a science-based, objective and neutral position and play an active role in the global response to the challenges of the epidemic,"Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters Thursday.

Mao stressed that China shares" relevant information and data "on the covid-19 pandemic, stressing" close cooperation " between China and the World Health Organization.

China, with a population of 1.4 billion people, has recorded only 23 deaths related to covid-19 since December, despite an unprecedented surge of infections three years ago.

"We continue to ask China to provide faster regular and reliable data on hospitalizations and deaths, as well as more complete and real-time genetic sequencing of the virus,"WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a press conference.

Despite the epidemic surge in China, the authorities will stop the mandatory quarantine of arrivals to China and will again allow Chinese to travel abroad after a three-year restriction.

The border between Hong Kong and mainland China, which has been almost completely closed for almost three years, will open to travelers from Sunday.

China denounced the imposition of covid tests by some countries as "unacceptable" and threatened to take "countermeasures".