China stalled on pandemic details

The World Health Organization publicly praised China in January for its response to the coronavirus outbreak despite growing frustration behind the scenes. Recordings from the agency’s internal meetings released on Tuesday showed Chinese government labs only shared the genome of the virus after another lab published the details on Jan. 11. The government lab delayed again for at least two weeks before providing the WHO with information on patients and cases, stalling international leaders’ understanding of how the virus could spread.

How are countries recovering? Outdoor cafes and restaurants in Paris reopened on Tuesday, though indoor seating areas will remain shut until June 22. On Monday, Iran recorded nearly 3,000 new infections, its highest daily jump in two months. In New Zealand, where only one person is still recovering from COVID-19, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the government likely will lift all remaining restrictions next week.

Dig deeper: Read Steve West’s report in Liberties about changing health guidelines for churches.