While Communist China confidently announced that the city of Wuhan, the origin of the deadly coronavirus, had opened its doors and allowed its citizens to travel freely, China’s success might just be another one of the nation’s deadly propaganda.

After 77 long days in quarantine, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claimed that the country is finally COVID-free. Roads, trains, and other forms of transportation have been reopened as people are starting to go back to their normal lives. Even the World Health Organization had commended China for its immediate and successful response. However, not everything is as it seems.

According to an editorial from the Global Times, the government’s propaganda arm, the media outlet warned citizens that “the worst is yet ahead of us,” citing a recent report from the World Health Organization. The main point of the editorial was to criticize American and European politicians who wanted to lift the lockdown as soon as possible.

The publication wrote that the “prospect” remains uncertain for the deadly outbreak. It had also specifically pointed out the United States government. “The restless sentiment in the West has been exploited and manipulated by some politicians. This is particularly the case in the US, with President Donald Trump publicly supporting mass protests against social distancing,” the press wrote.

To deflect possible blame for the second wave of the deadly pandemic, China tried to frame the US. The Global Times wrote that if the Trump administration allows a “premature resumption” of work and the economy, it might trigger another outbreak and will drag down the global efforts to fight the virus. Moreover, the Times wrote that it might also expose other Asian countries such as China and South Korea with far greater risks. The Global Times added that “pandemic prevention will become a protracted war,” warning its citizens must be prepared and expect the outbreak to last a year or even longer.

Finally, the media outlet wrote that the only way to survive and overcome the outbreak is to introduce a “systemize the disease prevention and control mechanism,” which will improve contact tracing.

China, who had been known for its strong propaganda, and faulty reporting, had left other media organizations to accept their so-called “success” with a little grain of salt. In fact, the Epoch Times wrote that heavy restrictions are still being imposed on Wuhan residents, limiting their travel to work purposes only. It also cited that suspected coronavirus patients had been brutally beaten by the extrajudicial police force.

In another report from the BBC, the media outlet claimed that officials had revoked “epidemic-free” status from 45 residents’ compounds due to reported asymptomatic cases. Lastly, the Guardian also published an interview with a Wuhan resident who said that despite the Communist Party’s announcement, “the lockdown is not over.”

Other places of gatherings such as shops, schools, cinemas, and entertainment venues remained shut.