The figures released by Beijing only take into account the deaths recorded in medical facilities, but they are the first published since the lifting of health restrictions in the country on December 8, 2022.
From our correspondent in Beijing,
Two days ago, senior Chinese officials said it was too early to make an accurate count of deaths from viral pneumonia. “ Only when a pandemic is declared over can we provide a clear answer regarding the death rate of the disease “, said then Liang Wannian, main expert of the national commission of Health quoted by the China Daily. Today, this same health authority is publishing this first official report, based on data provided by hospitals.
900 million infected
60,000 people died after being infected in China, between December 8, 2022 – the day after the lifting of health restrictions – and January 12, 2023. A considerable jump compared to the approximately 5,000 Covid deaths, reported by China since the start of the pandemic.
Most (90%) were over 65, the commission said. Nearly 54,500 were positive, but had comorbidities. More than 5,500 deaths follow a “ respiratory failure “. It is important to state this, because the authorities indicated last month that only patients with Covid-19 who die consequences of respiratory failure will be included in the official assessments of the epidemic.
This announcement comes as other figures from a study from the National Development Institute of Peking University indicate that 900 million Chinese had already been infected by January 11, with a cumulative infection rate of around 64%. Professor Ma Jingjing’s team worked on a mathematical model crossing metadata. In particular, the researchers found that online searches for symptoms such as “fever” and “cough” have skyrocketed. According to the report, the highest infection rates are measured in the western regions. Beijing, Canton and Shanghai are making a lot of noise on the internet, said Ma Jingjing, but it is in Western China that the Omicron surge has infected the most inhabitants: 91% in Gansu province, 84% in the Yunnan and 80% in Qinghai province.
These statistics seem to confirm the disturbing images of overwhelmed crematoriums on the Tibetan plateaus on social networks in recent days. The public security apparatus has since banned photos and videos of cemeteries, according to FRG.
” Don’t go home »
This first assessment of the National Health Commission confirms the thesis defended by several provincial governments which affirms that the peak of the infection has already passed. An announcement that comes as the WHO, the United States and other capitals are demanding more transparency from China on its balance sheets.
Figures that remain below the estimates made by other health research institutes. Is the first epidemic wave in China over? According to the British institute Airfinity, the epidemic was to peak on January 13 with 3.5 million people infected and more than 20,000 deaths per day, therefore before the Lunar New Year which falls this year 2023 on January 21.
Family reunions for the traditional spring festival which make the authorities fear of new contaminations among the most fragile. The tone has changed in recent days among health officials who now encourage those who have not yet left not to return home to their native village. “ The worst of the first wave is already over “, but the “ vulnerable people In a rural area “who have not yet been infected, can be infected during the holidays” by relatives and friends “said Liang Wannian Monday at the China Central Television (CCTV).
“ You have all kinds of ways to show that you care about them; you don’t necessarily need to bring the virus to them “, insisted Guo Jianwen of the Covid prevention team Thursday, in comments reported by The Guardian. The question of whether or not to return to one’s province to celebrate the change of lunar year has since been very much shared in discussions on the Weibo network.
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