Overview

• January 11, 2025, marks five years since the first officially reported COVID-19 death in Wuhan, China, which preceded a global pandemic that claimed over seven million lives worldwide.
• China did not hold official commemorations, and public discussion of the pandemic remains tightly controlled by the government, reflecting its sensitive nature within the country.
• The origins of the virus continue to be debated, with theories ranging from animal transmission at Wuhan's seafood market to a potential laboratory leak, though no definitive conclusion has been reached.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) and international scientists have faced challenges in investigating the virus's origins, citing limited cooperation and transparency from Chinese authorities.
• While the pandemic reshaped global life and governance, China has been criticized for its early handling of the outbreak and accused of suppressing information about the virus's initial spread.