China will see 25K deaths a day during Covid peak in Jan, UK health firm says

Even as China opens up amidst a surge in Covid cases in the country, with no clear data coming out, the country is likely registering 9,000 deaths a day, UK-based health experts estimate. This is double of what it had estimated last week. Meanwhile, the US is considering sampling wastewater taken from international aircraft to track any emerging new Covid-19 variants.

Ever since China loosened restrictions, the country is registering a massive increase in cases. Cumulative deaths in China since December 1 likely reached 100,000, while infections totalled 18.6 million, UK-based health data firm Airfinity said in a statement on Thursday.

Airfinity further estimates that China’s Covid infections will reach their first peak on January 13 when 3.7 million cases will be registered in a day.

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The body estimates the daily death toll to peak on January 23 with about 25,000 cases a day, with cumulative deaths reaching 584,000 since December.

All these estimates are in stark contrast to what China has been reporting. Beijing has been reporting only several thousands of cases a day, while it has reported only 10 deaths since December 7.

World Health Organization chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has asked China to be more forthcoming with detailed data on the pandemic situation in the country.

“In the absence of comprehensive information from China, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in ways that they believe may protect their populations,” Tedros wrote.

Meanwhile, China insists the data it publishes on Covid-19 deaths has always been transparent. Beijing's release of all virus information was done "in the spirit of openness", a top health chief said at a press briefing held by China's State Council, Xinhua reported late Thursday.

"China has always been publishing information on Covid-19 deaths and severe cases in the spirit of openness and transparency," said Jiao Yahui from the National Health Commission (NHC) told reporters on Thursday.

Jiao said that people who died of respiratory failure induced by the virus after testing positive with a nucleic acid test are the only deaths counted as owing to Covid-19, contrary to other countries that include all deaths within 28 days of positive tests.

"China has always been committed to the scientific criteria for judging Covid-19 deaths, from beginning to end, which are in line with the international criteria," Jiao said.

The country's official figures are extremely tiny compared with other countries. Reports suggest that the hospitals are overwhelmed with patients and the situation is dire.

(With inputs from agencies)

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