Top German doctor says China’s figures on coronavirus are 'nonsense'

2 April 2020, 16:09 | Updated: 1 September 2020, 10:29

The coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan, China
The coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan, China. Picture: PA

By Tobi Akingbade

The President of the German Medical Association has described China’s figures on coronavirus infections as "nonsense".

German doctor Frank Ulrich Montgomery said the numbers are not credible in many other countries either.

He said the recent low Chinese numbers were “nonsense” and suggested Beijing was intentionally providing false figures.

Dr Montgomery said other countries are also working with uncertain figures because better data often is not available.

He cited the lack of proper testing as one reason why many developing countries are reporting low infection rates.

READ MORE: the latest coronavirus updates LIVE

German doctor Frank Ulrich Montgomery said China's numbers were 'nonsense'
German doctor Frank Ulrich Montgomery said China's numbers were 'nonsense'. Picture: PA

The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 940,000 people worldwide and over 47,000 deaths have been recorded.

The number of UK deaths from the virus jumped by 569 today.

The patients were aged between 22 and 100 years old, with 44 people aged between 25 and 100 years old having no known underlying health condition.

The jump in coronavirus-related hospital deaths in the UK from 2,352 to 2,921 is an increase of 569 – the highest day-on-day rise since the outbreak began and up very slightly on yesterday’s rise of 563.

It took 19 days for the number of deaths in the UK to pass 300. It has taken further 10 days to reach just under 3,000.

For the first time, the number of new people tested per day in the UK for coronavirus has passed 10,000.

A further 10,215 new people were reported as being tested in the 24 hours to 9am April 2.

The total number of people in the UK tested since the outbreak began is now 163,194.

This is the equivalent of 245 people in every 100,000.

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK stands at 33,718, as of 9am on April 2.

A week ago, on March 26, the total was 11,658.

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Police personnel work at the site of an Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, June 13, 2025.

Air India rules out mechanical fault on doomed flight 171 amid investigation into pilots' 'medical records'

A German backpacker was found alive in the remote outback after a car crash and head injury left her disoriented for 11 days.

Backpacker breaks silence after found alive following 12 days in Australian outback

Evan died while holidaying at the popular Ibiza Rocks Hotel.

'We are absolutely broken': Scottish holidaymaker, 26, falls to his death at Ibiza Rocks Hotel

The collision of two black holes

Scientists detect biggest ever merger of two massive black holes just beyond the Milky Way

n

Southeast Spain rocked by earthquake as tourist hotspots suffer severe floods

Gunmen entering through a door

30 people dead and 100 injured following armed clashes in Syrian city, say officials

Gatwick-bound Air India flight carrying 242 passengers including 53 Brits crashes minutes after take -off

Air India pilots' 'medical records examined' after report suggests fuel switches 'were turned off in cockpit'

Shooting In Kentucky leaves state trooper Injured and multiple victims at a Baptist Church.

Two killed in church shooting after routine traffic stop develops into high speed car chase in Kentucky

Violent confrontations broke out in Torre Pacheco after a pensioner was attacked.

Anti-migrant unrest erupts for second night in Spanish town after pensioner assaulted

Donald Trump was injured during a shooting at a campaign rally In Butler lat year,

Donald Trump says Secret Service were having 'bad day' and made 'mistakes' one year on from assassination attempt

At least 19 other Palestinians were killed across Gaza on Sunday, officials said.

IDF admits 'technical error' after ten people, including children, killed while fetching water

Colonel Ivan Voronich, head of an SBU intelligence Special Operations Centre, was shot dead by a silenced pistol in Kyiv on Thursday.

Putin hit squad ‘eliminated’ after broad daylight murder of top Ukrainian special forces chief

The sunset over a bay with fishing boats anchored in it.

British tourist dies after falling from balcony in Malta

Floods in the Barcelona town of Súria during the rainfall caused by the storm.

Spain storm warning as 100mm of rain fell in an hour submerging tourist hotspot

Family members mourn the loss of 15-year-old Akash Patni, who tragically died when an Air India flight crashed.

Families of Air India crash victims demand ‘justice and answers’ after report published

An investigation team inspects the wreckage of Air India flight 171 a day after it crashed in a residential area near the airport, in Ahmedabad on June 13, 2025.

Fuel to engines on doomed Air India plane 'cut off' moments before crash killed 260, report finds