ST. LOUIS - Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt claims the Chinese government, Chinese Communist Party, and other Chinese officials and institutions suppressed information, arrested whistleblowers, and denied the contagious nature of the 2019 novel coronavirus that led to loss of life and severe economic consequences in Missouri, according to a lawsuit filed today in federal court.
“COVID-19 has done irreparable damage to countries across the globe, causing sickness, death, economic disruption, and human suffering. In Missouri, the impact of the virus is very real - thousands have been infected and many have died, families have been separated from dying loved ones, small businesses are shuttering their doors, and those living paycheck to paycheck are struggling to put food on their table," Schmitt stated in a release.
“The Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19, silenced whistleblowers, and did little to stop the spread of the disease. They must be held accountable for their actions.”
The lawsuit alleges that during the critical weeks of the initial outbreak Chinese authorities "denied human-to-human transmission in the face of mounting evidence, destroyed critical medical research, permitted millions of people to be exposed to the virus, and even hoarded personal protective equipment (“PPE”)—thus causing a global pandemic that was unnecessary and preventable.”
Chinese officials are alleged to have done little to contain the spread. Evidence of human-to-human transmission was known by Chinese health officials by late December, but the outbreak wasn't reported to the World Health Organization until Dec. 31, the suit claims. And when Chinese authorities did inform the WHO of the outbreak, they denied the potential for human-to-human transmission.
The AG's press release states that according to data gathered by the New York Times, nearly 175,000 individuals left Wuhan on Jan. 1 alone to travel for the Lunar New Year. The Chinese government continued with New Year celebrations, despite the risk for potential further infections, Schmitt argues.
Chinese officials’ alleged coverup and silencing of whistleblowers is also noted in the lawsuit.
It alleges that on Jan. 1 or 2, Wuhan police stated in a message that was broadcast across the country on CCTV that they had taken "legal measures” against eight people who published and shared "rumors" online. One of those eight is believed to be a doctor that shared information about the disease on a platform called WeChat. One doctor in a Wuhan hospital emergency room was disciplined for instructing staff to wear masks, suspecting human-to-human transmission.
The lawsuit blames the Chinese government for an unprecedented number of jobless claims in Missouri and for the negative impact on the state's budget now and in the future.
"On the human side - Missouri’s nurses and doctors are forced to quarantine from their families, our elderly citizens are stuck in nursing homes away from loved ones, and more," the release says.
Legal claims consist of one count of public nuisance, one count of abnormally dangerous activities, and two counts of breach of duty. Remedies could include civil penalties and restitution, abatement of the public nuisance, cessation of abnormally dangerous activities, punitive damages, and more, the release says.