Update (0816ET): For the most part, the WHO briefing on its visit was everything we feared it would be: Nothing revelatory, just long, boring droning and lukewarm praise about China's response to the outbreak, without once mentioning any kind of coverup.

One reporter apparently felt empowered to challenge the Chinese censors and ask about the cover-up, to which the WHO responded: 'What coverup?'

BBC Q to WHO: You touched about the problems. To what extent did cover-up and censorship worsen the ability to face the epidemic? — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

WHO: Our purpose was to find what works. Awareness is a common problem in many outbreaks. I don’t know about the factor you mentioned. We didn’t look at that factor. There were other factors we looked at as well... — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Outstanding work, gentlemen.

It's become clear that the WHO visit was merely a global confidence-building exercise, as the rest of Yoon's account shows:

Dr. Liang: 25 experts. Spoke with officials, scientists, residents, medical workers. Our main goals: to understand 1) characteristics of epidemic 2) clinical symptoms incl. mild/middle/critical 3) prevention/control measures and effectiveness 4) suggestions for future research — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

On severity: most patients are mild cases. 80% are mild. 13.8% severe. 6.1% critical. Death rate 3-4% nationally. Outside Wuhan: 0.7%. From symptoms to confirmed, lowered from 12 days in early Jan to 3 days now. For Wuhan, 5 to 15 days. Evidence diagnosis ability has improved... — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Average recovery time: 2 weeks for mild cases from onset to recovered. 3-6 weeks for severe... — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

WHO’s Aylward: praises China and ambitious, aggressive approach. First old fashioned measures like hand-washing, wearing masks, keep distance then response moved to scientific, risk-oriented action. Turbo charged w/ modern tech. More efficient than could have imagined years ago. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

How they made this response switch. From the tremendous will of Chinese people, workers, government officials. No question that China’s approach has definitely helped prevent the fast spreading epidemic... — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Realizes there are challenges the counting method of the numbers. But looking at different sources, the decline in numbers is real. Much evidence to support that. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

In Wuhan, hospital beds are more available. They can move more people in. This is a strong indicator. One researcher also said biggest challenge for developing an anti-viral trial is to find cases because of the drop in patients. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Showing graphs on outbreaks. Says hundreds of thousands of Chinese have benefited from China’s tremendous effort. China’s very aggressive measures have changed the curve of the epidemic. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Those are the good things but we also saw problems. We always learn lessons with every outbreak on response time, communication, protection for medical staff, action. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

China wants to resume work, reopen schools. China wants to get back to normal. This should happen. But says this virus will probably be around “for months”. So the key will be to phase lifting of different measures. Should also bolster what they have now because cases could.. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

..rise again as China gets back to normal. Most important recommendation: the world needs the experience of China to cope with epidemic and the only country to turn around such a big outbreak. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

In terms of travel and trade, any country taking measures outside WHO’s recommendation should reevaluate since risk from China is dropping. What China has to add is rising. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

WHO on the global situation: the virus is new but its capable of causing great impact on public health, the economy, and society. It is not SARS, not the flu. If we don’t treat it as a virus with its own characteristics, we won’t be able to fight it. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Second finding for global impact, the fundamentals of Hubei, Guangdong, can be applied elsewhere. This is a dangerous virus and we have to work with experience we have. And this country has demonstrated its measures can work. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Third finding, global community is not ready with mindset or material to act in this same way. The Chinese adapt. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

WHO: China was the first line of defense to prevent the spread of this virus. They feared they had the responsibility to protect the world from this. They locked down cities of 15mln people to prevent the spread... — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

As they dropped the force of infection, that has dropped spread without a doubt. Other countries should consider similar action to be a second line of defense to prevent spread to low income countries with lower ability to fight it. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

WHO: On drug, there is one that may be effective- remdesivir. @megtirrell — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

WHO: We have put in recommendations for the public. This cannot work without the collective will of the population working towards it. That is what distinguishes this country— using old fashion public health measures and moving to modern response to fend off epidemic. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

WHO on Italy: they are moving with aggressive measures. China has demonstrated this can work. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

BBC Q to WHO: You touched about the problems. To what extent did cover-up and censorship worsen the ability to face the epidemic? — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

WHO: Our purpose was to find what works. Awareness is a common problem in many outbreaks. I don’t know about the factor you mentioned. We didn’t look at that factor. There were other factors we looked at as well... — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

The most important is speed. What worries me is have other countries learned lessons from China’s experience. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

This is the WHO expert at the press briefing in Beijing. https://t.co/0HrZ9MVdai — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

WHO: There is one other point. President Xi himself said mistakes were made. We need to address. There is a recognition that the human cost is unacceptable. We all have to look at our systems because none of them as fast enough. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Dr. Liang responding to BBC: For Wuhan, looking back, what could have been the best measure taken? The feeling is if we use traditional understanding of the flu and SARS, it wouldn’t work- using our knowledge about other diseases... — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Dr. Liang continues to BBC: This virus is sneaky. We needed to fight while we learned, while we improved. This is what we lacked in the early stages. — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

CCTV to WHO: What is the top recommendation for China’s next step efforts? — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Source: Eunice Yoon

* * *

Update (0645ET): The press conference has started, and it looks like CNBC's Eunice Yoon is livetweeting:

Team @WHO, #China started trip Feb 16 and visited Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan, Wuhan. National Health Commission’s Dr. Liang Wannian, WHO’s Bruce Aylward present. #coronavirus — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Dr. Liang: 25 experts. Spoke with officials, scientists, residents, medical workers. Our main goals: to understand 1) characteristics of epidemic 2) clinical symptoms incl. mild/middle/critical 3) prevention/control measures and effectiveness 4) suggestions for future research — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

5 major findings: 1) understanding of virus. Experts studied 104 strains from different places and found they were 99.9% similar in origin. So experts believe there is no significant mutation. Ave age 51. 80% of patients 30-65. In confirmed cases, 78% from Hubei as of Feb 22... — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

Here are a few key findings on the nature of the virus:

No mutations have been discovered in any of the more than 100 patients whose virus samples were subjected to genome sequencing.

Average age is 51 years, age range primarily 30-59 years old, 70% of cases from Hubei

Bat is the host, and pangolin might be one of the 'intermediate host' - but research is ongoing.

There is risk of fecal-oral transmission, but this is not the major way of transmission in China - once again research is ongoing

Cluster cases observed in two provinces were mostly observed in families

That 'secondary infections' mostly occurred in families, not communities, shows 'effectiveness' of China's approach

Virus is a new pathogen that is age indifferent; public is 'universally suspectible'

Most early cases had association with seafood market where zoonomic transmission first occurred

Decline of new confirmed cases and onsets since lockdown began

Already, it's sounding like the briefing is a giant sop to Beijing; researchers around the world have warned of evidence of mutation. And the note that China's approach has been 'effective' sounds like propaganda.

* * *

Update (0625ET): A press briefing that was supposed to start at 6 has apparently been delayed, according to CNBC's Eunice Yoon.

Waiting for @WHO joint briefing with #China experts to begin in Beijing. Looks like will be delayed. Journalists -all in masks- seated in chairs set over 1 meter apart. Kinda wish organization hadn’t chosen hotel in Xicheng though (with its recent jump in #coronavirus cases 😬.) pic.twitter.com/oBNDRTSCr7 — Eunice Yoon (@onlyyoontv) February 24, 2020

A crowd of journalists is gathered in Beijing waiting to hear.

If we had to guess on a reason, we suspect the WHO team is probably haggling with a group of Chinese censors right about now.

* * *

The team of WHO scientists that visited Wuhan over the weekend will deliver its 'technical briefing' on its findings at 6 am ET Monday.

This could be a critical moment in the outbreak because it will be the first time the world hears an account of what's happening in Wuhan that hasn't been completely filtered through Beijing's propaganda machine (though we suspect that what they have to say won't be too shocking since China is airing the briefing on its domestic television networks).

As those who have been closely following the outbreak should recall, Beijing begrudgingly allowed 2 Americans to join the team on its fact-finding mission across China, which also included stops in Beijing, Sichuan Province and Guangdong Province.

Watch live below. It's slated to start at 6 am: