Scientific advisors to the British government have reportedly told the Prime Minister Boris Johnson that China is covering up the full extent of the coronavirus pandemic, and that things could be 40 times worse there than the communist state admits.

The Daily Mail reports that "Mr Johnson has been warned by scientific advisers that China's officially declared statistics on the number of cases of coronavirus could be 'downplayed by a factor of 15 to 40 times.'"

"There is a disgusting disinformation campaign going on and it is unacceptable," an anonymous government source told The Mail.

"They [the Chinese government] know they have got this badly wrong and rather than owning it they are spreading lies."

"It is going to be back to the diplomatic drawing board after this. Rethink is an understatement," another government source said, with a further source adding that "There has to be a reckoning when this is over."

The British government also "believes China is seeking to build its economic power during the pandemic with 'predatory offers of help' [to] countries around the world.'" the report continues.