COVID in China: WHO Chief ‘Very Concerned’

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Facts

  • Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the UN agency is “very concerned” about reports of severe COVID cases across China after the country veered sharply away from its long-standing “zero-COVID” policy.
  • On Wednesday, in the PRC's latest COVID report, no new fatalities were noted despite nationwide reporting of overloaded medical facilities, crematoriums, and long lines of hearses. Since the onset of the pandemic three years ago, China has reported only 5,241 COVID deaths — a very low count when compared to other less populated countries.
  • A Chinese health official stated that throughout the pandemic China has only counted deaths occurring from pneumonia or respiratory failure in its official death toll. The tally does not include the deaths of patients with pre-existing conditions; this narrow definition limits the number of deaths being reported.
  • A Chinese respiratory expert, through the state media source Global Times, said that an increase in deaths may occur in the coming weeks resulting from a spike in cases forecasted to occur in Beijing.
  • Following an outbreak in Shanghai earlier this year, many elderly residents that tested positive for the disease and subsequently died were not counted in the city's official death tally. The deceased's family members said that if they had an underlying condition their cause of death was attributed to the condition and not to COVID.
  • China implemented strict COVID policies shortly after the pandemic began, but has recently eased "zero-COVID." In addition, China has declined to authorize Western-manufactured mRNA vaccines.

Sources: PBS NewsHour, Guardian, Associated Press, and Independent.

Narratives

  • Anti-China narrative, as provided by PJ Media. Though the Western media initially praised China's response to the pandemic, the numbers it reported were simply lies. Now, China has almost completely lifted restrictions, and cases of the virus have exploded. The Chinese Communist Party is betting they will be more successful at obfuscating the number of lives lost than they were in keeping people locked down with draconian measures.
  • Pro-China narrative, as provided by Global Times. China is doing the best it can regarding COVID as the PRC tries to balance economic realities, public health, and societal pressures. China has been the world's premier partner in dealing with the pandemic, and it will continue to respond to new COVID-related challenges. There is no need for the international community to worry about this recent COVID surge in China — Beijing will safeguard both health and the economy.