Covid in China: Half a million infections reported daily in THIS city, says health official

While the Chinese government has downplayed the severity of the Covid situation, social media depicts filling crematoriums and crowded hospitals.

Beijing: Amid China's Covid crisis, a senior health official in the country Bo Tao has made a shocking revelation: half a million people in a single Chinese city - Qingdao are being infected with the virus every day. His statement, quoted by Bloomberg, was quickly censored and suppressed by the government, raising concerns about the true extent of the crisis in the country.

China struggles with Covid

Just this month, China has abandoned key strategies for controlling the spread of the virus, including snap lockdowns, quarantines, and travel restrictions. Cities across the country have been struggling to cope with the surge in infections, which have depleted pharmacy shelves, filled hospital wards, and even caused backlogs at crematoriums and funeral homes.

Xi Jinping Govt downplays situation

But the end of mandatory testing and the narrowing of the definition of a COVID-related death have made it virtually impossible to accurately track the number of cases. While the government has downplayed the severity of the situation and censors have removed sensitive information from media reports, some outlets have hinted at shortages of medicine and hospitals being overwhelmed.

37 million expected to be infected in one province by March

In one province, it is estimated that 80% of the population, or around 36 million people, will be infected by March. This dire prediction, coupled with the censored admission of half a million daily infections in one city, paints a disturbing picture of the crisis unfolding in China. It is imperative that the government be transparent and honest about the scale of the pandemic in order to effectively combat it and protect the health and well-being of its citizens.

(With AFP inputs)