SARS was under control in Beijing in April 2003
| SARS was under control in Beijing in April 2003 | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "In early April 2003, China said SARS was under control, with only 12 cases in Beijing, and that the city was safe for travelers." | |
| Domain | Health & Medicine |
| Tactic | Statistical & Evidentiary Distortion |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 2003 |
| Origin | Chinese Health Minister Zhang Wenkang at a press conference on April 3, 2003 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-01 |
| Further reading: books on Health & Medicine | |
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) emerged in Guangdong province in late 2002. Chinese authorities kept the outbreak largely quiet for months. On April 3, 2003, Health Minister Zhang Wenkang told a press conference that Beijing had only 12 cases and three deaths and that it was safe to visit.
A retired military surgeon revealed that the numbers were far higher.
What the evidence shows
- Whistleblower. Dr. Jiang Yanyong, a surgeon at a military hospital in Beijing, wrote that one military hospital alone had dozens of SARS patients. His account was published by Time magazine in April 2003.
- Firings. On April 20, 2003, Zhang and Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong were removed from their posts, and the government revised Beijing's case count to more than 300.
- Global toll. SARS infected about 8,000 people worldwide and killed about 770 before it was contained in July 2003, according to the World Health Organization.
Why it matters
Underreporting in the early weeks allowed SARS to spread. The episode is a key reference point in debates about transparency in later outbreaks.
Sources
- World Health Organization, Consensus document on the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), 2003.
- Susan Jakes, "Beijing's SARS Attack," Time, April 8, 2003.
- The New York Times, "China Fires Health Minister and Beijing Mayor over SARS," April 21, 2003.