While many are debating the culpability of the communist Chinese government for the global pandemic, one study says that 95% of cases could have been prevented if China had only acted a few weeks earlier.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Southampton and considered non-pharmaceutical interventions such as travel restrictions and single case isolation.

Researchers found that their research model indicated that 95% of cases would have been prevented if China had acted three weeks earlier.

Intervention one week earlier would have resulted in 66% mitigation, while two weeks would have led to 86% fewer cases.

China has been excoriated by many for attempting to cover up its culpability in the spread of the global pandemic that originated in Wuhan. One Chinese official went as far as to accuse the U.S. Army of being the source of the virus.

"Our study demonstrates how important it is for countries which are facing an imminent outbreak to proactively plan a coordinated response which swiftly tackles the spread of the disease on a number of fronts," said study author Dr. Shengjie Lai.

The study also showed that the pandemic could have been far worse if China waited longer than it did to intervene.

A more recent report from the Wall Street Journal quoted a top Chinese health official that admitted that the country was not adding asymptomatic persons who tested positive to its national tally.

Editor's note: The original version of this story incorrectly stated the percentage mitigation reported by the study. TheBlaze regrets the error.



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