China changes counting criteria as death toll rises amid massive Covid-19 spread

Amid China's Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, images have emerged on social media platforms showing busy hospitals and funeral homes, reported CNN. local media of China has been deliberately ignoring scenes of crowded hospital wards and packed crematoriums unfolding at home on or hand Chinese official states that few people have died of Covid.

It's been three years that China has been following its Zero Covid policy that has shielded people of China from such kind of mass deaths that haunted Western nations. But China's authorities have suddenly called off its Zero covid policy just after a major China protest which has resulted in a surge of deaths that has been projected to reach one million by experts.

Chinese government officials have reported only eight Covid deaths this month which is a strikingly low figure given rapid spre of Covid-19 in China.  death of two veteran state media journalists infected with Covid has been reported by  Chinese local financial magazine, on  day official toll stood at zero. 

Covid deaths in China 

China has been downplaying its Covid-19 deaths and officials of Chinese government have been defending accuracy of tally of deaths by changing methods of counting fatalities caused by virus. 

During a press conference, a top infectious disease doctor, Wang Guiqiang said, "As per latest guidelines from National Health Commission, Covid deaths would be considered only when death is caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure after contracting virus," reported CNN.

Furr, he said that those who have died due to any or disease will not be counted as a virus death, even if y were sick with Covid at time. 

On Wednesday. World Health Organization’s emergencies chief, Michael Ryan said that  definition was “quite narrow,” while talking about China’s criteria for counting Covid deaths, reported CNN.