CHINA had TEN TIMES more 'flu' cases than average at the end of 2019, according to new figures which may reveal the true scale of the global pandemic.

Data published by Chinese officials show 1.2 million cases of Influenza were recorded in December, which is up from 130,000 in the same month the year before.

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This massive jump in cases of the flu, whose feverous symptoms are similar to that of coronavirus, could be part of the "undetected spread" of the virus.

China's accuracy in terms of their COVID-19 data has been repeatedly questioned- with analysts now believing that the infection number was much higher than first thought.

This may mean that the official death toll is higher than official data shows.

One study published this week claimed China's real coronavirus death toll could be 14 times higher than figures given by Beijing, with US researchers estimating 36,000 people had died in Wuhan alone by 23 March.

'HIDING THE TRUTH'

Suspicions have mounted – especially since there has been a spike in cases in the capital this week, despite going nearly two months without a single infection.

According to Taiwanese consultancy group Sindolnsider, Chinese health officials stopped providing flu updates on 27 December, just four days before the first COVID-19 cases were reported.

The report said: "We have reasons to believe that the uncharacteristic explosion of flu cases in December may be due to the undetected spread of the coronavirus.

"We estimate that tens of thousands of people could have been infected with Covid-19 by the end of December."

Another study released this week has looked at the activity of crematoriums in Wuhan – concluding that China has concealed the true size of its pandemic.

It estimated that Wuhan was burning up to 2,000 bodies a day by mid February – when China's death toll was only at 700.

FLU SHOCK

By 23 March, China's official toll was 2,524 – however this study suggests that the number was closer to 36,000.

Beijing states that China has had 4,634 deaths from coronavirus – which is less than a tenth of the UK's death toll.

Alongside the reports and studies, world leaders have also questioned China's data accuracy.

President Trump called out the World Health Organisation (WHO) in April over not forcing China to reveal more data.

However,WHO investigators said they were happy that Beijing was telling the truth about what was happening.

There has now been a sudden surge in China's COVID-19 cases despite having two months of no cases – and they have blamed the European coronavirus strain for a new outbreak in Beijing.

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