A Danish newspaper sparked outrage in China over a cartoon featured within the publication, mocking the Chinese flag following the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus which has affected thousands.
The cartoon which was published in Jyllands-Posten on Monday depicted the stars of the Chinese flag as microscopic shots of viruses.
Since publishing the cartoon, Jyllands-Posten has refused to apologize for the cartoon which has been described to have hurt “the feelings of the Chinese people,” according to the Chinese embassy in Denmark.
The embassy has also said that the cartoon is “an insult to China” and that it had crossed an “ethical boundary of free speech.”
France 24 also reported that the embassy demanded that the artist, Niels Bo Bojesen, and his publication “reproach themselves for their mistake and publicly apologize to the Chinese people.”
Chinese embassy wants Danish paper to apologize for coronavirus cartoon https://t.co/3wECM9erNi pic.twitter.com/Jw4MxR0Qh7
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 28, 2020
The deadly Coronavirus has now claimed 106 lives and infected thousands of others.
Confirmed cases of the Coronavirus have been detected across several countries, compelling many to shut down travel to and from Wuhan–where the virus is thought to have originated.
Reports have emerged detailing carriers of the virus bragging about traveling undetected. A woman who traveled to France boasted about taking medications to conceal the symptoms to fool border security staff.
A South African expat in China reported news of infected patients deliberately spitting at medical staff or employing other tactics to secure the spread of the disease.
China claims they are working tirelessly to contain the spread of the virus by shuttling resources to the areas most affected.
Tens of millions of citizens are experiencing severe travel restrictions.
Food and other supplies are becoming scarce in quarantined areas, with reports of price hikes–as a means to ration items in short supply–and high social distrust amid fears of contracting the virus to add to the bleak situation.
