Opinion | Coronavirus is testing the limits of China’s – and Hong Kong’s – preparedness

International views on China’s response to the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan have been divided, but in recent days criticism has become more strident. On his return from meetings in Beijing a week ago, the director general of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, commended China’s “extraordinary” response, telling reporters how “very impressed and encouraged” he was by the handling of the epidemic.

An editorial in The Lancet praised the Chinese authorities, applauding the country’s efficient reporting and containment interventions: “The lessons from the Sars epidemic – where China was insufficiently prepared to implement infection control practices – have been successfully learned.”

As the crisis deepens, however, and international borders harden, approbation is giving way to censure. Many commentators are now pointing the finger at China’s confused response, noting the critical time wasted in the early stages of the outbreak.

Officials are accused of suppressing critical information and instigating a police crackdown on unhelpful “rumour-mongering”. It is now clear that human-to-human transmission of the virus was known to be taking place as early as mid-December, although this was only confirmed by authorities on January 20.