The situation in China could quickly get out of control, three professors from the University of Hong Kong warned on Monday, according to the US media CNN.
After three years of an extremely severe health strategy, dubbed covid-zero, China has largely relaxed its measures since early December and is preparing to face an unprecedented wave of infections.
According to the study, the lifting of sanitary restrictions – obtained by the population after numerous demonstrations – could cause up to 684 deaths per million inhabitants, or 964,400 deaths among the 1,400 million Chinese.
three main causes
The researchers point to the excessively low vaccination rate of the elderly, therefore more vulnerable, but also the insufficient capacity of intensive care in hospitals. They also believe that the country is too poorly equipped with antiviral drugs.
This Monday, the Chinese health authorities reported the first two deaths since the lifting of the restrictions, both registered in the capital Beijing.
Wu Zunyou, China’s chief epidemiologist, said the country was hit by the first of three waves of infections expected this winter, US television reports.
Source: BFM TV
