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A year ago, China reported an outbreak of an unknown lung disease to the WHO in Wuhan. Serious mistakes were made on-site at the beginning of the crisis. Talking about it openly is almost impossible in China today.
By Steffen Wurzel, ARD-Studio Shanghai
Wuhan has returned to everyday life. At least at first glance. On the splendid Yangtze River Walk, for example, about 30 jovial women and men huddle on a jetty. An excursion steamer has docked. The river cruise by boat costs 228 yuan, says one of those waiting, the equivalent of almost 30 euros.
When asked when sociable boat trips in Wuhan have come back to life, as when he no longer feels the crown’s restrictions in everyday life, the 35-year-old seems a bit taken aback; as if wondering such a stupid question.
“Everything is back to normal in Wuhan! For a long time, for half a year or so. Compared to Europe and the US, Wuhan has managed to control the virus much more successfully. China has strong government oversight. and the population follows it. Very conscientious guidelines. Not like in countries where people only talk all the time about freedoms and human rights. “
Differences of opinions only behind closed doors
Many people in Wuhan express themselves as confident, patriotic, and satisfied as this 35-year-old. Of course, reflective and critical voices can also be heard, but only a few want to express themselves openly; especially not if your opinion deviates from the official line of the communist state and party leadership. One of them is Wu Xiaoyu.
On New Year’s Eve 2019, December 31, 2019, he realized for the first time: this new lung disease, this virus, is much more dangerous than he feared. Wu Xiaoyu is a doctor. He was working in a hospital in Wuhan at the end of 2019. To protect them from possible repression by the Chinese authorities, we have changed his name; the doctor’s name is really different.
“New Years Eve, that was the first day of my long-planned annual vacation. At 9 am I got a call from my boss. I was supposed to go back to the hospital for an important meeting. The meeting was about a notice from the authorities. report on an outbreak of an unknown lung disease. That’s how I found out. ”
State and party leadership is minimized first
The number of emergency patients in Wuhan increased steadily until January. At the same time, China’s state and party leaders tried to use state media to appease and minimize the problem. On January 6, a spokesperson for the national news channel CCTV announced:
“So far, the research has not provided unequivocal evidence that the disease can be transmitted from person to person or that medical personnel can become infected.”
Dr. Wu Xiaoyu said that at that time it was clear that this was misinformation.
“The truth is: already on December 31, when we met on New Year’s Eve, we were all convinced that person-to-person transmission was possible.. January officially through the media that people can be infected Only then did the public find out and people began to take the disease really seriously. “
Lack of information costs lives
Zhang Hai is one of the strongest outspoken critics of the Chinese leadership in relation to the management of the crown. He is originally from Wuhan, but has lived in Shenzhen in southern China for the past few years with his 76-year-old father, a highly decorated military veteran.
When he needed an operation in January, Zhang Hai took his father to Wuhan. When the two arrived there on January 17, hospitals were already full of Covid-19 patients. Zhang Hai’s father contracted the coronavirus there while he was being treated. He became seriously ill and eventually died of Covid on February 1. Had he known about the enormous risk of infection, of course, he would never have brought his father to Wuhan, says Zhang Hai in an interview with the Swiss radio station SRF.
“The Wuhan city government lied then and continues to do so today!”
A useless demand
Zhang Hai has sued the relevant authorities. An almost desperate undertaking in China, because the rule of law does not exist in the People’s Republic.
“The Wuhan government is putting a lot of pressure on us. Many have given up on it. What I can understand. But I will not give up. Although they also harass and threaten me.”
It is questionable whether it will ever be possible to clarify exactly where the new corona virus came from about a year ago. The first cases of the disease date back to December 2019, on the grounds of a wild animal market in Wuhan. Today, about a year later, there is not much to see there – the buildings on the edge of a four-lane street are empty. Almost all informational and advertising posters have been removed.
The propaganda machine runs at full speed
Meanwhile, China’s propaganda has been suggesting for weeks that the virus likely made its way into Wuhan from abroad. That catches. This is also the case with this vendor who sells crabs near the old market.
“The virus did not come from Wuhan. Foreigners brought it – Americans! It had nothing to do with Wuhan or Hubei. Thanks to our communist system, China handled the crisis well. For the central government, people’s health is more important than anything else. ” ”
