China itself does not publish any numbers on corona deaths. Foreign estimates put the death toll at over a million.
The Chinese leadership has declared a “great and decisive victory” in the fight against the corona virus. Following a meeting of the Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee on Friday, a statement said that since November, China’s handling of Covid-19 has experienced “a smooth transition” in a relatively short period of time.
Practice has shown that the Central Committee was right in its assessment of the pandemic situation, its decisions and strategic adjustments. The session was chaired by State and Party leader Xi Jinping.
More than 200 million infected people used medical services, according to state media reports in the Politburo statement. Nearly 800,000 severe cases have been adequately treated. The death rate from Covid 19 remained “the lowest in the world”. No numbers were given. “China has created a miracle in human history,” praised the official Xinhua news agency. As the situation in China improves, the virus continues to spread and change around the world.
The crematoriums could not keep up
At the same time, the Politburo called on the country’s population of 1.4 billion to be vigilant. All authorities must strengthen the health system and consolidate “hard-won achievements”. The vaccination rate among the elderly must be improved.
However, there is no accurate picture of the huge corona wave in China. In early December, the government abruptly abandoned its strict Covid-zero strategy with lockdowns, enforced quarantines and mass testing. Health authorities estimate that more than a billion people have been infected since then.
The total death toll was not released, while the crematoriums barely managed to cremate the victims. Advertising also downplayed the extent. Officially, between early December and early February, only 83,150 deaths were recorded in hospitals, while in China only a small proportion of people usually die anyway. According to reports, doctors were also instructed not to certify Covid-19 as the cause of death.
Meanwhile, independent foreign estimates put the death toll at at least one million. Model calculations by data processor Airfinity, based in London, came to 1.47 million deaths. According to a report in the “New York Times”, four different teams of experts estimate the number between 1.0 and 1.5 million.
(APA/DPA)