British Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday said that he regretted not overruling a World Health Organization (WHO) advice after the agency told him that coronavirus could be transmitted asymptomatically "was likely a mistranslation."

Hancock made the remark as he was quizzed by MPs about the government's handling of the pandemic.

He said he "heard evidence from China that there was asymptomatic transmission in January," as well as from Germany.

"I asked the scientists to look into this and in fact I was so worried about it, I arranged a call with the WHO and I was told on that call that with respect to China, this was likely a mistranslation," he said. "And I bitterly regret that I didn't overrule that scientific advice at the start and say 'we should proceed on the basis that there is asymptomatic transmission until we know there isn't'."