WHO asks China for more information on the COVID-19 outbreak after confirming 60,000 deaths since December

The World Health Organization has asked China that he continue to publish information about his wave of contagions of COVID-19after the government announced nearly 60,000 deaths since early December following weeks of complaints that it was not telling the world what was happening.

Saturday’s announcement was the first official death toll since the government of communist party It suddenly lifted anti-virus measures in December despite a surge in infections that filled hospitals. That prompted the WHO and other governments to demand information, while the United States, South Korea and others imposed screening on travelers from China.

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The government said 5,503 people had died from respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 and 54,435 deaths from cancer, heart disease and other health problems combined with COVID-19 between Dec. 8 and Jan. 12.

Ad “allows a better understanding of the epidemiological situation”, indicated a statement from the WHO. The agency’s CEO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesusspoke by phone with the Minister of Health, Ma Xiaoweithe statement added.

“WHO requested that this kind of detailed information continue to be shared with us and the publicthe agency said.

The National Health Commission said that only deaths in hospitals had been counted, so the sick who died at home would not be included in the statistics. It did not indicate if updated data would be given, or when it would happen.

A health official said that “the peak of national emergency” has passed, given an 83% decline in the daily number of people attending fever clinics since the peak reached on December 23.

The data more than doubles the official death toll in China from COVID-19 to 10,775 since the disease was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. China only counts deaths in its official data. due to pneumonia or respiratory failure, which excludes many deaths that would have been attributed to the virus in other countries.

Separately, high-speed train service resumed on Sunday between mainland China and Hong Kong, under restrictions that allow 5,000 passengers from each side to make the journey per day, after submitting a negative virus test. 48 hours prior.

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The two sides resumed travel suspended as part of Beijing’s “zero COVID” strategy, which aimed to keep the virus out of China. Hong Kong imposed different but similar restrictions that have blocked most international travel.

Candice Zhonga resident of the neighboring city of Shenzhen on the mainland, said upon her arrival in Hong Kong that she planned to visit the city’s two big theme parks.

“I want to come to Hong Kong to see how it is nowZhong said at the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway terminal. “I will go to Disneyland and Ocean Park”.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.