A new study from China warns the country could face a massive COVID-19 outbreak if it follows in the footsteps of France, the U.S. or other countries and reopens amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The study, which was done by mathematicians at Peking University, found that China could face over 630,000 COVID-19 infections a day if it changes travel restrictions without having more efficient vaccinations or specific treatments.

The report was published by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in China CDC Weekly.

After pulling data from France, the U.S., Spain, Britain and Israel for August, researchers were able to predict the number of cases for China by evaluating each country’s travel guidelines.

“The estimates revealed the real possibility of a colossal outbreak which would almost certainly induce an unaffordable burden on the medical system,” the report stated. “Our findings have raised a clear warning that, for the time being, we are not ready to embrace ‘open-up’ strategies resting solely on the hypothesis of herd immunity induced by vaccination advocated by certain Western countries.”

If China followed France’s travel guidelines, it could reach 454,198 COVID-19 cases daily. It could hit 637,155 cases if it followed U.S. guidelines and 275,793 if it copied the U.K.’s travel restrictions.

News of China’s study comes amid Chief White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci’s claims that the country has gotten rid of the evidence of the coronavirus origins.

“It was very likely in a host, what the Chinese did, I don’t have firsthand knowledge of that, but the people who were reporting it, who investigated what they did is they cleaned out the markets as soon as it turned out that it was clear that there were clusters coming from the market,” Fauci said in an appearance on the CBS News program “Face the Nation.” “Which, you know, in typical fashion, I think trying to make sure that things don’t get pointed to them, they probably got rid of the animals that were the intermediary hosts there.”

The U.S. continues to investigate the origins of COVID-19, which is believed to have originated in a wet market in Wuhan.

Human Rights Watch said in a July report that at least 1,100 North Koreans are detained in China, Pyongyang's main ally and economic benefactor
Human Rights Watch said in a July report that at least 1,100 North Koreans are detained in China, Pyongyang's main ally and economic benefactor AFP / GREG BAKER
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