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Coronavirus has resulted in 82,220 deaths worldwide with the most affected areas being Italy, Spain and France as their death tolls rise far above China but the public has begun to question the validity of the data. China has reported roughly 3,000 deaths in Wuhan where COVID-19 was first transmitted. Tom Tugendhat MP has hit out at China as he claimed the country has lied about the death toll. BACK BRITAIN'S BRAVE NHS HEROES - CLICK HERE NOW

Speaking to talkRADIO, Mr Tugendhat said: "We don't know. The truth is we just don't know. "What we do know is that China consistently lied over this emergency including the arrest of Dr Lee very early on who was the first to call out and then forced to recant in a Soviet-show trial way and admit his guilt. "Since then, we just don't know. "We've heard reports of about 3,000 dead in Wuhan but American intelligence and media reports 40,000. READ MORE: Steph McGovern: BBC Breakfast star told to 'f*** off' by co-host

China has reported only 3,000 deaths in Wuhan

Tom Tugendhat MP hit out at China for 'lying'

"Each of these deaths is a tragedy. "The main tragedy of the disinformation of these lives is the Chinese people themselves are victims of a rather brutal dictatorship. "But it also sadly has a huge effect on us because we are modelling off of what other people do. "We're looking at places like Germany and Italy but the country that first had it and should be giving us the most data is China."

Coronavirus has infected thousands in the UK

His comments come as the Chinese city, Wuhan, where the virus originated, has lifted its lockdown after 11 weeks. China had sealed off Wuhan, a central city of 11 million people, on January 23, a drastic step that came to symbolise its aggressive management of the virus. More than 50,000 people in Wuhan were infected, and more than 2,500 of them died, about 80 percent of all deaths in China, according to official figures. But there are concerns the lockdown is being lifted too soon. DON'T MISS Spain heartbreak as coronavirus death toll rises again – now at 14,555 [INSIGHT]

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