Criticized for its lack of transparency on the Covid-19 epidemic, China announced Saturday at least 60,000 deaths linked to the virus, since the lifting of health restrictions in the country a month ago.
After three years of some of the most draconian restrictions in the world, China abruptly lifted most of its health measures against the coronavirus in early December. The number of patients has grown rapidly. Hospitals find themselves overwhelmed with elderly patients and crematoriums appear overwhelmed by the influx of bodies. Contrary to the situation observed on the ground, only a handful of deaths had so far been reported by the authorities.
a criticized methodology
Beijing also reviewed its methodology for accounting for Covid deaths in December. Only people who died directly from respiratory failure linked to Covid are now included in the statistics. This controversial change in methodology means that a large number of deaths are no longer listed as being due to Covid. The World Health Organization (WHO) had criticized this new Chinese definition of a Covid death, judging it “too narrow”.
First non-exhaustive assessment
On Saturday, health authorities unveiled their first non-exhaustive assessment of the epidemic, since the lifting of health restrictions last month. “Between December 8, 2022 and January 12, 2023, a total of 59,938 [décès] have been identified” in medical establishments across the country, health authority official Jiao Yahui told reporters.
Among these deaths, 5,503 were caused directly by respiratory failure linked to Covid-19, said this official. In addition, 54,435 deaths are due to underlying diseases associated with Covid, according to the same source. This assessment, which does not take into account deaths occurring outside the hospital system, is undoubtedly underestimated.
The average age of the victims was 80 years old. The elderly are considered particularly vulnerable because many in China are poorly or not vaccinated.
Peak reached?
The epidemic peak also seems to have passed. At the end of December, nearly 3 million patients nationwide had consulted for fever, compared to less than 500,000 as of January 12, according to figures released on Saturday.
In Beijing, shopping malls, restaurants and transport are once again lively, after several weeks during which many sick residents stayed at home. But the authorities fear a new epidemic rebound with displacements linked to the Lunar New Year festivities, while millions of Chinese are preparing to meet up with their families.
The Chinese health authorities are in no hurry to publish an accurate assessment of the number of deaths linked to Covid. “At this time, I do not think it is necessary to investigate the cause (of deaths) for each individual case”, insisted epidemiologist Liang Wannian, the head of the group of experts against Covid commissioned by the National Health Commission. He also argued for the lack of consensus at the international level for the classification of a death linked to Covid.