To maintain its authority, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) must keep the public convinced that everything is going according to plan. The SARS epidemic of 2002-2003 could have been contained much sooner had Chinese officials, including the health minister, not deliberately concealed information from the public. Although there are important differences between today’s coronavirus epidemic and the SARS outbreak — including far greater technological capacity to monitor disease — they might have the CCP’s habit of cover-ups in common. Since then, Wuhan officials have downplayed the seriousness of the disease and deliberately sought to suppress news coverage. References to the new coronavirus rose slightly on Jan. 11, when the first death was reported, but then quickly disappeared again.

Source: Taipei Times February 02, 2020 15:56 UTC