China: At least 60,000 dead due to coronavirus within a month

In the announcement of at least 60,000 deaths linked to the coronavirus, the Chinaciting hospital records since the country’s health restrictions were lifted a month ago, a big increase from Beijing’s previously reported numbers on the pandemic, amid global criticism of the data previously presented.

“A total of 59,938 (deaths) recorded between December 8, 2022 and January 12, 2023”, Jiao Yahui, an official with China’s National Health Commission, told reporters. Of the patients who died, 90.1% were aged 65 years or older.

This tally does not include deaths outside medical facilities.

Among these deaths, 5,503 were directly caused by respiratory failure linked to Covid-19the official said.

After three years of some of the world’s most draconian restrictions, China has abruptly lifted most of its health measures against coronavirus in early December.

Since then, the number of patients has increased rapidly. Hospitals are overwhelmed by elderly patients and crematoria appear overwhelmed by the influx of bodies.

The Chinese government last month limited the registration of Covid deaths to those directly attributable to respiratory failure linked to the new coronavirus.

This controversial change in methodology means that a large number of deaths are no longer recorded as being due to Covid.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has criticized this new Chinese definition of Covid deaths as “too narrow”.

Beijing countered these criticisms and called on the WHO to adopt an “unbiased” stance towards Covid.

China last announced daily death tolls from Covid-19 last Monday.

Authorities had reported five or fewer deaths a day last month – figures inconsistent with long queues at funeral homes and body bags being seen leaving hospitals.

In December, Chinese officials said they planned to give monthly rather than daily updates on the progress of the pandemic.

While international health experts have predicted at least 1 million Covid-related deaths this year, China has previously reported just over 5,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, one of the lowest death rates in the world.