Microbiologist, Residents Say China Conceals Extent of Respiratory Virus Outbreak

In the absence of reliable health data, crowded hospitals have sparked fears among the public during the Lunar New Year holiday.

People wait at an outpatient area of the respiratory department of a hospital in Beijing on Jan. 8, 2025. Jade Gao/AFP via Getty Images

Chinese health authorities have said this winter’s flu season is less severe than the year before, but medical experts cast doubts over the transparency of its respiratory illness situation.

Residents from four different cities have expressed concerns about an uptick in respiratory infections within their families and communities when speaking to The Epoch Times.