China Reports Over 59,000 Deaths Relieved to COVID-19 in Five Days
The National Sanitary Commission of China has reported that in a span of five days, between December 8, when authorities started easing coronavirus restrictions, and December 12, 58,938 deaths related to COVID-19 have occurred.
On average, the age of the deceased was 80.3 years old and 90.1 percent of deaths were in people over 65 years old. Majority of the deceased, 54,435 out of 59,938, have succumbed underlying diseases worsened by the infection.
The Commission further stated that the death rates outside hospitals remain unaccounted for. Additionally, serious cases of COVID-19 rose to its peak on January 5. On that day, 128,000 reported cases were logged. As of January 12, this number has reduced to 105,000.
The official figures do not accurately reflect reality, as a study by Peking University has estimated that 900 million people were already infected with coronavirus since the ‘zero covid’ policy was dismantled .
Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also criticised China for not providing full numbers of deaths in the current outbreak.
The WHO further predicted that if China did not take the necessary precautions, it will have to bear with higher death tolls in the upcoming weeks.
