WHO urges China to share 'specific and real-time' Covid-19 data

The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged China to share specific and up to date information about the epidemiological situation in the country amid a surge in Covid-19 case numbers.

The world body said it met high-level officials from China's National Health Commission and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration on Friday to "seek further information on the situation, and to offer WHO's expertise and further support."

"WHO again asked for regular sharing of specific and real-time data on the epidemiological situation... and data on vaccinations delivered and vaccination status," the Geneva-based organization said in a statement.

"WHO stressed the importance of monitoring and the timely publication of data to help China and the global community to formulate accurate risk assessments and to inform effective responses," the statement said.

Rapidly rising coronavirus case numbers in China led a number of governments to introduce extra travel requirements for visitors from the country.

In the first three weeks of December alone, 248 million people in China contracted the virus, according to officially unconfirmed internal estimates.