"We continue to ask China for more rapid, regular, reliable data on hospitalizations and deaths, as well as more comprehensive, real-time viral sequencing," he said at a media briefing.

"WHO is concerned about the risk to life in China and has reiterated the importance of vaccination, including booster doses to protect against hospitalization, severe disease and death."

(Reporting Jennifer Rigby in London and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Geneva; Writing by Josephine Mason; Editing by Alex Richardson)