COVID warnings took center stage last week as the United States confirmed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, citing concerns over early pandemic handling. US officials said the decision followed long-standing frustration with how the organization addressed initial outbreak signals involving Taiwan during late 2019.
US Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill raised the issue publicly through social media, arguing that the WHO ignored early communications from Taiwan by excluding it from formal engagement channels. He also criticized the organization for sidelining scientific debate and promoting restrictive public health policies during the pandemic’s early stages.
Shortly afterward, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Washington’s formal exit from the WHO. Rubio said the organization failed to fulfill its responsibilities during the critical early period of the COVID-19 outbreak, prompting the US to reassess its role in multilateral health institutions.
O’Neill added that the United States would continue coordinating international responses to infectious diseases independently. He said future cooperation would move forward without reliance on Geneva-based institutions, reinforcing Washington’s shift in global health strategy.
WHO officials quickly rejected the allegations, disputing the factual basis of the claims. COVID-19 technical lead Maria Van Kerkhove said the organization detected the Wuhan outbreak signal on Dec. 31, 2019, and did not ignore any scientific evidence.
Kerkhove said Taiwan did not issue formal COVID warnings but instead requested additional information the same day. She also stated that the WHO never recommended lockdowns and maintained a science-based approach throughout the pandemic response.
Taiwanese health authorities later clarified their actions during late December 2019. Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control reported learning of at least seven atypical pneumonia cases in Wuhan and immediately contacted the WHO to request further details.
Former Central Epidemic Command Center spokesperson Chuang Jen-hsiang said Taiwan’s outreach reflected lessons learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak. Authorities isolated suspected cases early as a precaution against potential transmission risks.
Former CECC head Chen Shih-chung later released Taiwan’s original email to the WHO. He argued that references to isolation measures implied possible human-to-human transmission, even without explicit language confirming such risks.
Separately, Japanese officials highlighted Taiwan’s proactive role in sharing early outbreak information regionally. Former Japan Self-Defense Forces chief of staff Shigeru Iwasaki said Taiwan provided Japan with critical briefings before international attention intensified.
Iwasaki recalled traveling to Taiwan in January 2020 and receiving immediate briefings from defense and health officials. He contrasted Taiwan’s preparedness with Japan’s limited awareness at the time, noting that several Japanese response measures later relied on Taiwan’s information.
The COVID warnings dispute now reflects broader geopolitical tensions surrounding Taiwan’s international participation. Analysts say the controversy underscores challenges in global health coordination, transparency, and crisis communication.
