Review panel critical of China, WHO delays

An independent panel reviewing the global handling of the COVID-19 pandemic says Chinese officials could have applied public health measures more forcefully in January and criticised the World Health Organisation (WHO) for not declaring an international emergency until January 30.

In an interim report, the panel of experts led by former New Zealand prime Minister Helen Clark and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said: "The global pandemic alert system is not fit for purpose", adding: "The World Health Organisation has been underpowered to do the job".

It called for a "global reset" and said it would provide recommendations in a final report to health ministers in May.