China Reports 60K Covid Deaths... True or False?

Hospitals in China are overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients

In a bid to silence other countries for criticising China for not sharing Covid-19 data on infections and deaths, it yesterday claimed that just under 60,000 deaths were recorded from December 8 to January 12, when the zero-Covid restrictions were lifted.

The authorities also claim fever clinic visits and hospitalisations have peaked.

It is the first time China has released a death toll since its abrupt pivot away from its punishing zero-Covid strategy. 

Jiao claims 60K have died from Covid-19

Jiao Yahui, director of the National Health Commission's medical affairs department, said medical institutes recorded 5,503 deaths due to respiratory failure caused by Covid-19 infection, and 54,435 deaths of people with Covid-19 who had underlying health conditions, such as cancer or cardiovascular diseases.

"The standard is basically in line with those adopted by the World Health Organisation and other major countries," she said.

The average age of those who died was 80.3, and 90 percent of the fatalities were people aged 65 and older.

While it's definitely more than the over 5,000 that China reported since the pandemic began in December 2019, but many infectious disease experts are still skeptical.

One of them is Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Huang skeptical of 60K number, believes higher

"The sharp revision is an official response to international criticism of the lack of transparency and accuracy in China's reporting of Covid-related data," he told CNN. 

"Given the still huge gap between the official count of Covid deaths and the international estimate, I don't think the revision will quell outside doubts on the government data."

In an interview with Reuters, Huang said it was unclear whether the new data accurately reflected the actual fatalities because doctors were discouraged from reporting Covid-related deaths, and the numbers only included deaths in hospitals.

"In the countryside, for example, many elderly people died at home but were not tested for Covid due to the lack of access to test kits or their unwillingness to get tested," he said.

And now the great migration is underway -- millions of people are on planes, trains and automobiles to get back to their hometowns for Spring Festival that starts on January 22. There are estimates that over 2 billion passenger trips will be made.

Travellers flood the Guangzhou train station

It is very possible that while traveling people will be infected with Covid-19 and spread the virus to their relatives. This could have an even more devastating effect, as those living in remote rural areas will be least likely to be vaccinated and if infected, will not have access to medicine and hospitals equipped to deal with respiratory illnesses.

For Jiao to claim the virus has already peaked is wishful thinking.

Where's the Freedom to Report on July 1?

Who will report on the July 1 events after 10 media rejected?

Now that we've established that Chinese President Xi Jinping will come to Hong Kong for two days, but not staying overnight and in nearby Shenzhen instead, who will be covering the grand milestone of 25 years since the handover?

Hardly any media for hardly any good reason.

Media organisations had to be invited to attend the July 1 flag-raising ceremony and swearing-in ceremony for the next Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.

Lee claimed press freedom is in back pocket

But then suddenly today at least 10 outlets that had been invited were now rejected because of "security reasons". They include Ming Pao, HK01, South China Morning Post, Now News, Reuters, Bloomberg and Agence France-Presse.

While these media organisations have the option of sending alternate reporters, they must fulfil requirements of testing negative for Covid-19 from a PCR test everyday between last Sunday and July 1 which is impossible now.

It is strange that Ta Kung Pao was also rejected, a very pro-Beijing paper, which is why the Hong Kong Journalists' Association chairman Ronson Chan finds it "perplexing" that all these outlets were rejected regardless of their editorial policy.

"The HKJA expresses utmost regret over rigid reporting arrangements made by the authorities for such a major event," the press group said.

"[C]iting a vague reason for rejection seriously undermines press freedom in Hong Kong. The HKJA urges the authorities to make remedial arrangements and protect the right to report," it added.

Chan finds reporter rejections as "perplexing"

The group is referring to incoming leader Lee's claim that press freedom was a given.'

In April he said that press freedom was already in the "pocket" of all Hongkongers so it did not need defending. That said he promised to pass a "fake news" law and a local version of the security law.

How can he say this when Reporters Without Borders has ranked Hong Kong 148 out of 180 places, when it was 80 last year, and in 2002 it was listed at no. 18?

Initially up to 20 journalists were invited to attend, averaging two per outlet. But then this was cut to one per organisation, and now none.

So it looks like only Chinese domestic media will be allowed to attend, to cover the event for Chinese audiences, not even for Hongkongers.

"China wants the world to see Hong Kong's 25th handover anniversary ceremony and project the narrative that stability has been returned to the city, meanwhile it has effectively banned most international media from covering this important event," said an international journalist who did not want to be named.

Hong Kong is pulling out the stops for its leader and yet its own people can't even report on the event... in other words, no negative reporting at all! An alternate reality will be promoted over and over forever and perhaps this is a signal of how things will be done from now on?!