China says impossible to 'accurately grasp' the actual number of Covid infected people
Covid spike in China causes shortage of anti-viral drugs.
Just days after abruptly dropping its strict zero-Covid restriction China says that it is now impossible to track the true scale of Covid-19 infections in the country.
This comes as officials warn of a rapid uptake in Beijing's coronavirus cases. After nearly three years of stringent regulations that prompted rare widespread protests in the country, China recently loosened its quarantine and mass testing policies.
With extensive mass testing no longer a requirement for most of the country, China's Health Commission on Wednesday admitted that the numbers no longer reflect reality.
Watch |China Covid: Xi administration gradually dismantles Zero-Covid policy
In a statement, the NHC said that it is impossible to "accurately grasp" the actual number of infected people as "many asymptomatic people are no longer participating in nucleic acid testing."
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Recently, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan too said that the capital Beijing's new COvid infections are "rapidly growing".
Faced with the rare display of public anger, and an economy that is suffering officials are determined to push ahead with the opening up of the country. On Tuesday Beijing's tourism authorities said that it would resume tour groups in and out of the capital.
The country is ill-equipped to face the surge, millions of elderly remain vulnerable, still not fully vaccinated. The sudden influx of patients can also handicap underfunded hospitals that lack resources.
Also read |As China recalibrates its COVID-19 response strategy, celebs share their infection experiences
With people opting to self-medicate at home, as per AFP, residents have also reported facing a shortage of cold medicines and long lines at pharmacies.Soaring demand for at-home covid tests or rapid antigen tests and medicines has also given birth to a black market with astronomical prices.
(With inputs from agencies)
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