BEIJING (Reuters) January,4 – A Chinese Communist Party newspaper on Thursday urged citizens to seek a “final victory” over the assembled virus, prompting global health officials to slam the new coronavirus raging in China. We are trying to clarify the facts about the outbreak of infectious disease (COVID-19) and prevent further spread of infection.
China’s lifting of stringent virus restrictions last month has unleashed COVID on a population of 1.4 billion with little natural immunity that has protected them from the virus since it emerged in downtown Wuhan three years ago. .
Many funeral homes and hospitals say they are overwhelmed, and international health experts predict at least 1 million deaths in China this year, but China has seen fewer than five deaths a day since the policy shift.
China’s lifting of stringent virus restrictions last month has unleashed COVID on a population of 1.4 billion with little natural immunity that has protected them from the virus since it emerged in downtown Wuhan three years ago. .
Many funeral homes and hospitals say they are overwhelmed, and international health experts predict at least 1 million deaths in China this year, but China has seen fewer than five deaths a day since the policy shift.
Japan is the latest country to require a negative test before boarding, along with the United States, Australia and others. European Union health officials will meet on Wednesday to discuss a coordinated response to travel to China. China, which has been largely shut down to the world since the pandemic began, will stop requiring quarantine for incoming travelers from Jan. 8. However, arriving passengers will be tested before embarking on their travels.
China reported five new COVID deaths on Tuesday, bringing the official death toll to 5,258, very low by global standards.
UK-based health data firm Airfinity says about 9,000 people are likely to die from COVID every day in China. A chaotic scene was seen at Zhongshan Hospital in Shanghai. Many of the patients were elderly, jostling for space in crowded halls between makeshift beds, using oxygen ventilators, and receiving intravenous fluids.
A Reuters witness counted seven of his hearses in the parking lot of Tongji Hospital in Shanghai on Wednesday. The worker said he had at least 18 yellow bags used to transport bodies.
Investors now want policy stimulus as the coronavirus turmoil slows China’s $17 trillion economy to its slowest growth rate in nearly half a century.
China’s yuan hit a four-month high against the dollar on Wednesday after China’s finance minister pledged to step up fiscal expansion. The central bank has also hinted at more policy support.
Analysts at UBS expect a ‘big bang’ approach to reopening will cause a ‘deeper but shorter recession’ in the economy, though they expect activity to pick up from February.
Chinese media reported that interest in traveling abroad is reviving despite new restrictions in some countries.
Before the pandemic, global spending by Chinese tourists was over $250 billion a year, but the number of flights to and from China is still a fraction of he pre-COVID levels. Thailand expects at least 5 million Chinese arrivals this year. In 2019, she saw more than 11 million Chinese visit Thailand. This is almost a third of all visitors.
But there are already indications that increased international travel from China could pose a problem.
South Korea, which began testing a traveler from China on Monday, said more than a fifth of her test results were positive.
