Units overwhelmed, millions of cases and probably thousands of deaths a day. After three years of draconian health rules and a popular protest movement, China lifted its “zero covid” policy in early December. Three weeks later, the country is hit by one of the biggest waves of contamination since the start of the pandemic, putting public and private hospitals and crematoria under pressure.
Images of overflowing hospitals and patients treated in stadiums have circulated on social networks, in a country where official figures must be taken with caution. Since Sunday, the National Health Commission, equivalent to a ministry, has also indicated that it will stop publishing the daily numbers of cases and deaths from Covid, as it has been doing since the start of the pandemic.
“At least 250 million people have been infected in China for three weeks. Until recently, we were around 660 million since the start of the pandemic worldwide,” analyzes Christian Bréchot, virologist and president of the Global Virus Network, which describes “panic numbers.” “.
A pandemic, a “global problem”
If for the moment it is difficult to assess the consequences of this Chinese contamination explosion on the rest of the world, they will inevitably make themselves felt, according to the virologist.
“A pandemic, this is a global problem, worldwide. We cannot raisonné in Franco-Français. Ce qui se passe en Chine va forcémentment retenir d’une manière ou d’une autre sur la santé globale”, assure-t -The.
First of all, in a population where so many people are infected and live together, the risk of the appearance of new variants arises, even if it remains “theoretical”, as Christophe Bréchot reminds us. “We are not in a situation of immediate threat,” adds the virologist, who recalls that “we are much better protected than three years ago.”
Then come the “economic risks”. With all these new patients, the situation of 2020 could be repeated: factories closed, production and exports stopped… Especially since, in several Chinese provinces, residents are allowed to return to work, even with symptoms of Covid-19.
Towards a drug shortage?
One situation in particular could have visible consequences in Europe and in France, the shortage of medicines. On December 24, Rémi Salomon, president of the AP-HP medical commission, recalled in a tweet that “80% of the active principles, the raw material of our medicines, are manufactured in China and India”. “The wave of Covid currently overwhelming China risks exacerbating our supply difficulties for many medicines,” he wrote, referring to the need to “relocate production”.
This risk of tension around drugs is real, confirms Christophe Bréchot. “On voit déjà an immense pourcentage des entreprises en Chine qui sont à l’arrêt car les gens sont malades. Une grande partie des principes actifs des medicaments viennes de Chine donc la logic est que cela aura un retentissement sur notre appropriationnement”, prédit- The.
Regarding the new policy of the Chinese government against the virus, the virologist assures that scientists “do not make a systematic diagnosis but rather there is discreet surveillance.” For his part, President Xi Jinping on Monday called for measures to “effectively protect people’s lives.”
Source: BFM TV
