China endures worst outbreak of cases

CHINA has reported its first coronavirus deaths since January 2021, as the country battles the worst outbreak since the pandemic began.

Authorities said yesterday that two elderly people have died with Covid in the northeastern Jilin province, home to 24 million people which is under a stringent lockdown.

Jiao Yahui, an official with the National Health Commission, said both patients – aged 87 and 65 – had underlying conditions and one had not been vaccinated.

But the fatalities come as China’s draconian zeroCovid policy is under strain, with omicron driving a surge not seen for two years.

Some 29,000 infections have been reported since the start of March. Jilin is worst hit by the outbreak, accounting for more than two-thirds of domestic infections in the current wave.

Restrictions are imposed, with police permission needed to leave the province. The zero-Covid policy has been perceived as successful, containing clusters before they spread and limiting the death toll, which is 4,638.

But there are concerns that mediocre vaccination rates and negligible postinfection immunity could see China follow Hong Kong, where hospitals and morgues have been overwhelmed.

“The slow-motion car crash of Hong Kong looks ready to be replicated a bit slower and 100 times bigger,” said Paul Mainwood, a Covid analyst.