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'We don't have much time': Doctor's disturbing claims about China's virus 'cover-up'

Damning allegations have been levelled at the Chinese government by a virologist who has claimed it knew about the severity of the coronavirus threat long before taking any action.

Hong Kong virologist Yan Li-Meng, who fled to the United States earlier this year, told Fox News the Chinese government was aware of human-to-human transmission as early as December 2019.

Dr Li-Meng claimed her potentially “life-saving” research conducted early in the pandemic was ignored by her supervisors, saying she was now willing to risk her life to reveal the “truth” about the origin of COVID-19.

Pictured is Dr Yan Li-Meng speaking with Fox News via a video chat.
Dr Yan Li-Meng has accused the Chinese government of knowing about COVID-19 human transmission months before it told the rest of the world. Source: Fox News

“I have to hide because I know how they treat whistleblowers, and as a whistleblower here I want to tell the truth of COVID-19 and the origin of the SARS-2 COVID virus,” she told the network.

The Chinese government was aware of at least 40 cases and that human transmission was occurring in December last year, according to Dr Li-Meng.

It wasn’t until January 20 that the government publicly announced the virus could be spread between humans, which Dr Li-Meng believes was news that came far too late.

Claiming to have “chatlogs” with telling communication with others in China, Dr Li-Meng said she was willing to “provide all the evidence to the US government”.

She was also aware however of the danger this could put her in, given her knowledge of how China treats whistleblowers.

“[They want] To keep people silent if they want to reveal the truth,” she said.

Pictured are medical workers checking test samples at Beijing Puren hospital.
Medical workers shown checking test samples at Beijing Puren hospital this week as allegations emerge over a Chinese cover-up of COVID-19. Source: Getty Images

Dr Li-Meng claimed the “evidence” she has could prove critical though, and expressed her willingness to put herself in harms way if it meant revealing the “truth”.

“We have to chase the true evidence and get the real evidence because this is a key part to stop this pandemic. We don't have much time,” she said.

The World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, and a pandemic on March 11.

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