China reports 60,000 COVID-related deaths, says peak passed

In December of 2019 Dr. Li Wenliang from Wuhan posted a message about the outbreak of the coronavirus on a physicians forum trying to warn his fellow doctors about what was to come. Three days later Dr. Li was paid a visit by the police and was told to stop posting such information. With that, the government of China began its cover-up of how wide spread and contagious the virous was. Dr. Li Wenliang died in February of 2020 following being infected by a patient.

Now, more than 3 years of zero covid and cover-ups they announced that 60,000 people had died from the virous snice December.

Those numbers may still underestimate the toll, though the government said the “emergency peak" of its latest surge appears to have passed.

The toll included 5,503 deaths due to respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 and 54,435 fatalities from other ailments combined with COVID-19 since Dec. 8, the National Health Commission announced. It said those “deaths related to COVID” occurred in hospitals, which means anyone who died at home would not be included in the numbers.

China fire was government's fault - victim's daughter

 

A woman whose mother and four siblings died in a fire in the Chinese city of Urumqi has blamed the government for their deaths.

China operates a strict zero-Covid policy, resulting in many lengthy lockdowns. Protesters say restrictions hampered people's escape from the burning building on 24 November - though the government denies this.

BBC Newsnight's Danny Vincent spoke to Serafet, a Uyghur living in exile in Turkey, who said she found out she had lost family members through social media.

She added there had been no official confirmation of their deaths.

Protests in China: The blank sheets tell a tale

 

Protesters in China brave a surveillance state as they push back against stifling zero-COVID policies. Plus, art in times of turmoil in Sri Lanka.

After two years of some of the most stringent COVID restrictions in the world, many in China are fed up and are demanding a loosening of the controls – in some cases, even calling out President Xi Jinping. They are running the gauntlet of a surveillance state that comes down hard on dissent.

Chinese Police Coming For Protesters in Their Homes - Episode #137

 

China Covid protests spread to major cities

 In Pictures: Protests widen to China's big cities

In Beijing, protesters held up blank sheets of paper to signal their discontent 

While in Shanghai on Sunday, police officers blocked Urumqi road 

As the protests grew, police formed a cordon

Why is China still trying to achieve zero Covid?

Unlike other countries, which have accepted they will have to live with the disease to a certain extent, China is following a policy it calls "dynamic zero" - taking dynamic action wherever Covid-19 flares up in order to eradicate it.

China's government argues that this policy saves lives, because uncontrolled outbreaks would put many vulnerable people at risk, such as the elderly.

Strict lockdowns mean China's death toll has stayed low ever since the start of the pandemic - the official figure is now just over 5,200.

Protesters in China demand Xi Jinping step down | DW News

 

Unrest is growing in China over the country's strict COVID-19 measures. Fresh protests have broken out in major cities, with hundreds rallying at Beijing's elite Tsing-hua University, chanting 'we want freedom.' Many also held up blank sheets of paper in a symbolic protest against state censorship.

China reports first coronavirus deaths in 6 months | DW News

China has announced its first deaths from coronavirus in almost half a year as stringent new measures are imposed in the capital, Beijing, and across the country to prevent new outbreaks.

Shanghai Disney: Video shows crowds trapped in Covid lockdown at theme park

 

Video posted on social media shows crowds of people trapped inside Shanghai Disney.

Visitors in the theme park will not be allowed out until they can show a negative Covid-19 test.

The park closed its gates to comply with China's strict zero-Covid policy.

China’s in Really Bad Shape