Coronavirus in China: 13,000 people died in one week, but the figure would be much higher

China has reported in recent hours that at least 13,000 people died “related to covid-19” between January 13 and 19, three years after the first outbreak in Wuhan that infected the entire planet.

This figure, which only reflects the deceased in hospitalsadds to 60,000 dead since Decemberpreviously announced by the authorities.

Undoubtedly, this is a partial balance in a country of 1.4 billion inhabitants, where numerous hospitals and crematoria they have been overwhelmed during the past month.

about 80% of the population in China have contracted covid-19 since the lifting of health restrictions in early December, according to epidemiologist Wu Zunyu, a leader in the country in the fight against the virus.

The measures known as “Covid-zero” have decreed gigantic confinements, of entire cities when a handful of cases were detected. Urban quarantines could last for weeks. It was also mandatory to carry out massive tests, which made it possible to keep a count of cases.

But the social unrest caused by these measures and the impact on the Chinese economy caused them to be lifted. Travelers have even been prevented from applying for quarantine upon arrival.

China has abandoned its “zero Covid” policy. after three years of strict health checks. Their revolt, with no contingency plan, was like tank rupture.

With poor vaccination, especially in its most vulnerable population. The end of “Covid-zero” has caused a sudden wave of infections without control or testing.

help from the West

The European Union has offered to send help with medicines faced with this huge wave of infections, but China has not shown “enthusiasm” in receiving them, said the director general of health of the European Commission, Sandra Gallina, on Monday.

The senior European official explained to the European Parliament’s public health committee that community officials held a meeting with Chinese officials on January 10 and discussed the possibility of sending “not only vaccines but also antivirals such as Paxlovid ( …) And the response was not enthusiastic.

Beijing nor has it accepted the vaccines and medicines offered by the United Statesas published by US media in recent weeks.

The numbers

The 13,000 deaths reported by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it does not cover those who died at home due to the virus.

The situation shouldn’t improve. It is expected that due to the Lunar New Year Festival, which was celebrated this Monday, when hundreds of millions of people moved to see their relatives, the death toll could rise to 36,000 a day.

Tens of millions of people traveled this weekend to reunite with their families and celebrate the most important holiday on the Chinese calendar.​

“There will be no second wave”

However, a Chinese health official said on Monday that the country it will not suffer a second wave of infections in the next two to three months after millions of people travel to their cities from big cities, as about 80% of the population is already infected.

“Although the large number of people traveling during the Spring Festival may contribute to the spread of the epidemic to some extent, the current wave of the epidemic has already infected about 80 percent of the population,” said Wu Zunyou, chief of epidemiology at the CDC. in a post on the Weibo social network.

“In the short term, for example, in the next two to three months the possibility of (…) a second wave of the epidemic in the country is very low,” he added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) questions the change in Beijing’s methodology for counting victimsthat only people who die directly from respiratory failure are included, which leaves out a large number of deaths also caused by the virus.

Agencies

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