In China’s latest COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing, the death toll has increased incrementally. Feverish patients in hospitals and an increase in funeral businesses point to an increasing virus spread after the removal of stringent regulations.
According to unofficial reports, there has been a large number of coronavirus-related deaths. Family members of the victims as well as people working in funeral services reported that COVID-19 was responsible for more of these cases. These people spoke only on the condition that they not be identified because of fear of reprisal. Official policy and direction of this latest outbreak are still a mystery and remain in confusion.
On Tuesday, the National Health Commission reported that five new deaths in China had brought the total country’s death toll up to 5,242. This is a relatively low number by international standards, but could rise significantly if the government abandons its “zero COVID” policy, which includes compulsory testing, lockdowns and quarantines. These policies have slowed the economy and provoked rare protests.
China is now unable to count new cases because people are still recovering and testing at home. This makes it much more difficult for the country to assess the severity of this current outbreak and the direction it’s heading. According to some scientific models, the death rate will increase with increasing numbers.
China attempts to convince seniors who are reluctant to get vaccinated and those at high risk of getting vaccinated with limited success. Recent visits to vaccination centers have been mostly empty. There has also been little publicity in state-controlled media.
Another concern is the need to improve health services in small cities and rural hinterlands ahead of January’s Lunar New Year travel rush. This will lead to migrant workers returning home.
Both in urban areas and rural areas, the number of fever clinics has increased. People have been requested to remain home for as long as they are not seriously ill. According to reports, hospitals are running low on staff and workers are being asked to resume their jobs as long as there is no fever.
Chinese authorities do not count deaths due to COVID-19. They exclude those caused by underlying conditions like diabetes or heart disease, which can increase the risk of severe illness.
Many other countries have guidelines that state that any death in which the coronavirus has been a contributor or factor is considered COVID-19-related.
China has long celebrated its “zero COVID” restrictive approach to keeping deaths and cases low. It compared itself to the U.S. where death tolls have topped 1 million.
However, China’s policy of travel restrictions, quarantines, and mandatory testing put the nation and society under immense stress. This apparently convinced the Communist Party to listen to outside counsel and change its strategy.
