‘Matter of time’

Photos show bodies piling up in China as COVID cases explode

SCORES of horrifying photos and videos have revealed just how devastating China’s current COVID crisis has become, despite authorities insisting the situation is under control.

Recent pictures taken in the nation – which has quickly emerged as the world’s Covid hotspot – show piles of bodies lying on the ground in morgues and hospital hallways, with footage revealing medical centres already stretched to the limits and funeral parlours buckling under a sudden surge in demand.

However, despite the clear evidence of the escalating crisis, the official COVID death toll for December stands at just 10, with officials doubling down on the decision to abandon China’s zeroCOVID policy after years of draconian lockdowns.

Within days of the harsh restrictions lifting, cases began to explode, with international epidemiologists and studies predicting the latest wave could result in millions of deaths.

Of key concern is China’s so-called “R number”, which refers to how many people an average Covid patient infects.

China National Health Commission scientists estimate the R number is now 16 in China – far higher than that of other countries during previous COVID waves – with experts bracing for more than 60 per cent of the population to be infected in the coming weeks.

And while a rise in the Covid death toll is expected as a nation reopens

– a trend seen across the globe over the course of the pandemic – China is thought to be especially vulnerable, given the country’s low vaccination rates, especially among the elderly.

China’s reliance on its own vaccines, which have been proven to be less effective at preventing serious illness and death than mRNA jabs used across the world, have also added to the current anxiety being felt.

Star, 40, dies from COVID complications

In addition to the grim scenes of China’s mounting death toll, the death of renowned Beijing actor and opera singer Chu Lanlan at 40 from COVID complications has also brought home just how serious the current surge is.

The star’s death was confirmed by a student on Chinese social media platform Weibo, who claimed the virus triggered underlying health conditions.

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