SHANGHAI/BEIJING: A Shanghai The hospital has told its staff to prepare for a “tragic battle” with Covid-19 as it predicts half of the city’s 25 million people will be infected by the end of the year while the virus sweeps through. China is barely controlled.
After widespread protests and an ever-increasing number of infections, China this month abruptly changed its policy and began to dismantle its “Covid-free” regime, which has caused huge financial losses. political and psychological for the country’s 1.4 billion people.
However, China’s official death toll since the pandemic began in early 2020 is 5,241 – a fraction of what most other countries have faced.
China reports nothing new Covid 21 deaths, even as funeral home workers say demand has skyrocketed over the past week, pushing fees higher.
Authorities, who have narrowed the criteria for Covid deaths, have confirmed 389,306 symptomatic cases.
Some experts say the official figures have become an unreliable guide as fewer tests are being carried out across China following the easing of restrictions.
Shanghai Deji Hospital, posted on its official WeChat account late Wednesday, estimates that 5.43 million positive cases in the city and 12.5 million people in China’s main commercial hub will be affected. infected by the end of the year.
“This year’s Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Lunar New Year are forecast to be unsafe,” the hospital said.
“In this tragic battle, the whole of Greater Shanghai will fall, and we will infect all the hospital staff! We will infect the whole family! All of our patients will be infected! We have no other choice, and we can’t escape.”
In an effort to prevent the virus from spreading throughout China, residents of Shanghai have been subject to a two-month blockade, which ended on June 1, causing many people to lose income and difficult to access essentials. basic. Hundreds of people died and hundreds of thousands were infected in those two months.
Experts say China could face more than a million Covid-19 deaths next year.
the head of World Health Organization said it was concerned about the spike in infections and was supporting the government to focus on immunizing those most at risk.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters that the agency needs more detailed information on the severity of the disease, the number of hospitalizations and requirements for intensive care units for a comprehensive assessment.
FREE MEDICINE
China’s policy reversal has left a fragile health system unprepared, with hospitals scrambling for beds and blood, pharmacies stocking up on drugs and authorities racing to build new rooms. special examination.
Smaller cities away from the affluent east and south coasts are particularly vulnerable. throughA city of 700,000 in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, on Wednesday called on all medical workers who have retired in the past five years to join the battle against Covid.
“Health organizations at all levels in the city are under tremendous pressure,” it said in a public announcement.
State media said local authorities were trying to tackle drug shortages, while pharmaceutical companies were working overtime to increase supply.
Dongguan, a large city in southern China, said a total of 100,000 ibuprofen pills have arrived in the city and will be distributed to 41 state-run drug stores this week, before being made available for free. Global Times reported.
In Wuhan, the central city where the virus was first detected at the end of 2019, 3 million ibuprofen tablets have been delivered to medical facilities and retail pharmacies every day since May 17. 12, the report said.
Authorities in Sanya on the southern island of Hainan have lined up 18 pharmacies to hand out free medicines, while pharmacies in Zhukou are handing out 10 free pills a day to residents who show identification cards. .
mRNA VACCINE FOR GERMANY
Germany says it has sent the first batch of the BioNTech Covid vaccine to China to initially be used by Germans abroad. Berlin is pushing for other foreign nationals to be allowed to take them.
These will be the first mRNA vaccines, considered the most effective against the disease, available in China.
China has nine domestically developed Covid vaccines approved for use.
Some Chinese experts predict the Covid wave will peak in late January, and life could return to normal in late February or early March.
After widespread protests and an ever-increasing number of infections, China this month abruptly changed its policy and began to dismantle its “Covid-free” regime, which has caused huge financial losses. political and psychological for the country’s 1.4 billion people.
However, China’s official death toll since the pandemic began in early 2020 is 5,241 – a fraction of what most other countries have faced.
China reports nothing new Covid 21 deaths, even as funeral home workers say demand has skyrocketed over the past week, pushing fees higher.
Authorities, who have narrowed the criteria for Covid deaths, have confirmed 389,306 symptomatic cases.
Some experts say the official figures have become an unreliable guide as fewer tests are being carried out across China following the easing of restrictions.
Shanghai Deji Hospital, posted on its official WeChat account late Wednesday, estimates that 5.43 million positive cases in the city and 12.5 million people in China’s main commercial hub will be affected. infected by the end of the year.
“This year’s Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Lunar New Year are forecast to be unsafe,” the hospital said.
“In this tragic battle, the whole of Greater Shanghai will fall, and we will infect all the hospital staff! We will infect the whole family! All of our patients will be infected! We have no other choice, and we can’t escape.”
In an effort to prevent the virus from spreading throughout China, residents of Shanghai have been subject to a two-month blockade, which ended on June 1, causing many people to lose income and difficult to access essentials. basic. Hundreds of people died and hundreds of thousands were infected in those two months.
Experts say China could face more than a million Covid-19 deaths next year.
the head of World Health Organization said it was concerned about the spike in infections and was supporting the government to focus on immunizing those most at risk.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters that the agency needs more detailed information on the severity of the disease, the number of hospitalizations and requirements for intensive care units for a comprehensive assessment.
FREE MEDICINE
China’s policy reversal has left a fragile health system unprepared, with hospitals scrambling for beds and blood, pharmacies stocking up on drugs and authorities racing to build new rooms. special examination.
Smaller cities away from the affluent east and south coasts are particularly vulnerable. throughA city of 700,000 in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, on Wednesday called on all medical workers who have retired in the past five years to join the battle against Covid.
“Health organizations at all levels in the city are under tremendous pressure,” it said in a public announcement.
State media said local authorities were trying to tackle drug shortages, while pharmaceutical companies were working overtime to increase supply.
Dongguan, a large city in southern China, said a total of 100,000 ibuprofen pills have arrived in the city and will be distributed to 41 state-run drug stores this week, before being made available for free. Global Times reported.
In Wuhan, the central city where the virus was first detected at the end of 2019, 3 million ibuprofen tablets have been delivered to medical facilities and retail pharmacies every day since May 17. 12, the report said.
Authorities in Sanya on the southern island of Hainan have lined up 18 pharmacies to hand out free medicines, while pharmacies in Zhukou are handing out 10 free pills a day to residents who show identification cards. .
mRNA VACCINE FOR GERMANY
Germany says it has sent the first batch of the BioNTech Covid vaccine to China to initially be used by Germans abroad. Berlin is pushing for other foreign nationals to be allowed to take them.
These will be the first mRNA vaccines, considered the most effective against the disease, available in China.
China has nine domestically developed Covid vaccines approved for use.
Some Chinese experts predict the Covid wave will peak in late January, and life could return to normal in late February or early March.
