Xi Jinping calls for measures to 'protect' lives amid the explosion of Covid-19 cases in China

"We should launch a patriotic health campaign in a more targeted manner to strengthen epidemic prevention and control and effectively protect people's lives, safety and health," he said. Xi, according to state channel CCTV.

Three years after the detection of the first cases of Covid-19 In the Chinese city of Wuhan (center), the government eliminated without prior warning most of the rigorous measures that supported its 'zero Covid' policy, in a context of growing irritation on the part of the population and given the strong impact of this policy on the economy of the Asian giant.

China eases anti-covid restrictions after protests

Several cities in China decided to relax strict anti-covid measures starting this Friday (2), following the large demonstrations in recent days to demand the end of restrictions. Among the measures is the end of the requirement for daily tests.

However, since then, the Asian country has faced an explosive increase in the number of people infected with the virus. Many hospitals are overcrowded and pharmacies face a shortage of medicines.

Furthermore, employees at several crematoriums reported to AFP a significant increase in the number of bodies.

A China announced on Sunday (25) that it would no longer release statistics on the Covid-19, heavily criticized for the large difference between official numbers and the current epidemic wave hitting the country.

Controversial balance sheet

To date, almost mandatory PCR tests have made it possible to safely monitor the epidemiological trend. But infected people now self-test at home and rarely report the results to authorities, preventing a real count.

After easing Covid, China says it is 'impossible' to track contagions

Covid-19 cases have soared in China. According to the country's health authorities, it is “impossible” to track the extent of infections there. In addition, authorities also warned of a rapid spread of the disease after they abolished the zero tolerance policy against Covid.

A China, the most populous country in the world, has officially recognized only six deaths from Covid-19 since the lifting of restrictions. Analysts, however, consider that the balance is much lower than the real number of deaths, in a country where a large proportion of elderly people are not vaccinated against the virus. Covid-19.

Chinese citizens can see the striking difference between official statistics where there are only cases and the growing contagion, and even deaths, of people close to them.

The megalopolis of Guangzhou (south), which has a population of 19 million inhabitants, announced the postponement of funeral ceremonies until “after January 10th”.

Another source of controversy is the authorities' new recount methodology, according to which only people who died from respiratory failure linked to Covid-19 will be counted as dead from this disease.

However, some local governments have begun offering estimates of the magnitude of the pandemic:

• The health authorities of Zhejiang (east), south of Shanghai, indicated that the number of daily infections exceeded the a million in this province of 65 million inhabitants.

• Half a million are infected daily in Qingdao (east), a city with ten million inhabitants, according to municipal sources cited by the official press.

• In capital, Beijing, the authorities admitted on Saturday (24) “a large number of infected people” and urged “to do everything possible to improve the recovery rate and reduce the mortality rate”.

(To AFP)

Read also

Almost half of Brazilian municipalities face a high incidence of Covid-19 cases, warns Instituto Todos pela Saúde

Of the 5.297 Brazilian municipalities that sent covid-19 records to the Ministry of Health, 2.552 (48,2%) faced a high incidence of the disease last week, ending on December 17th. These are locations that had more than 100 cases of the disease per 100 inhabitants in one week. 47% of the Brazilian population lives in these municipalities, and their residents are exposed to high levels of viral transmission. See guidelines from the Todos pela Saúde Institute (ITpS) for the festive period. O Curto News is a partner with ITpS to disseminate accurate and uncomplicated information about Covid-19.

Security scheme for Lula's inauguration must be reevaluated; see more at Curto Flash

Faced with the escalation of threats and violence, especially after the attempted terrorist act last weekend, a wing of the new government advocates reevaluating Lula's security scheme during his inauguration. Find out more at Curto Flash, our selection of the main headlines of the moment.