ALBAWABA - Nearly 60,000 people have died of COVID-19 in China since the country suddenly abandoned its "zero-COVID" policy last month.
Jiao Yahui, head of the National Health Commission’s medical affairs department, told reporters in Beijing on Saturday that 59,938 COVID-related deaths were recorded in China between Dec. 8 and January 12.
Of the total, 5,503 were from respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 infections, and 54,435 were people infected with COVID as well as underlying diseases, such as cancer, heart problems and chronic diseases.
01/07/2023 China is facing a host of issues. The most concerning one COVID-19 infection numbers continue to rise and hospitals in Shanghai and other cities are overflowing with patients. Expert syas at least 1 million COVID related deaths in China this winter is quite possible. pic.twitter.com/2R4vn33VDW
— 洛杉矶盘古农场 Himalaya LAPANGU Farm (@LAPGFarm) January 8, 2023
01/07/2023 China is facing a host of issues. The most concerning one COVID-19 infection numbers continue to rise and hospitals in Shanghai and other cities are overflowing with patients. Expert syas at least 1 million COVID related deaths in China this winter is quite possible. pic.twitter.com/2R4vn33VDW
— 洛杉矶盘古农场 Himalaya LAPANGU Farm (@LAPGFarm) January 8, 2023
In the month after Dec. 8, China reported only 37 deaths from local COVID cases, according to figures released on the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
The World Health Organization and the United States pointed fingers at China, accusing it of “under-representing” the severity of its current COVID-19 outbreak.
Top global health officials have also urged Beijing to share more data about the explosive spread of COVID in China.
