New estimations have been created by the scientists from the University of Hong-Kong (oh, their future overlords will remember that…). Here you will find a full article on the topic, while I will allow myself to present only its essence.

In short, according to Hong-Kong scientists the real number of infected in China must be at least 232 thousands. The official number of 55 thousand cases is so low only because Chinese health services have changed their method of disease classification in the middle of the epidemic. Up until January 20th their classification only included people who tested positively for the virus. When, after January 20th, the classification also begun to include people with symptoms of COVID-19, the number of ill people skyrocketed by 7,1 times.

It is unknown whether this mistake was accidental or the statistics have been falsified on purpose.