The World Health Organization is calling on China to accurately report data about COVID-19 cases and deaths, after Beijing ended its strict “zero COVID” policy. On Wednesday, WHO officials cited anecdotal accounts that ICUs are filling up with severely ill patients, even as China officially reported relatively few ICU admissions. This is WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: ”WHO is very concerned over the evolving situation in China, with increasing reports of severe disease. In order to make a comprehensive risk assessment of the situation on the ground, WHO needs more detailed information on disease severity, hospital admissions and requirements for ICU support.”

On Wednesday, China reported no new deaths from COVID-19. The claim came after a top Chinese health official said China would change the definition of COVID deaths to include only those caused directly by pneumonia and respiratory failure. Many disease models predict a surge of COVID cases could kill up to 1 million people across China over the next few months.