Beijing: China has kept its COVID-19 death toll at a little over 5000 despite a reported overflow of funeral homes across the country amid a rise in virus cases. The NTD reported that Chinese doctors have been told to avoid listing COVID-19 as the cause of death. A doctor at a Beijing hospital was told not to report COVID-19 as the primary cause of death, the NTD reported, citing the New York Times. Similar warnings have been circulated on Chinese social media.
As NTD reports, a group chat conversation has asked doctors not to list the COVID-19 virus as the cause of death. In China, only people who die after respiratory failure due to COVID-19 are counted as COVID-19 deaths.
COVID-19 patients who die with pre-existing medical conditions do not count as a COVID-19 death According to news reports, even though the virus has worsened his health condition. A doctor at a private hospital in Beijing said that in recent days he and his colleagues found a typed note on the hospital’s desk.
According to The New York Times, the note urged doctors “not to try to write off respiratory failure caused by COVID” as the primary cause of death.
According to the news report, the doctors said it was unclear whether the message was shared internally or if they received it from government officials. According to The New York Times, similar warnings have been circulated on Chinese social media, urging doctors to “not carelessly write COVID” on death certificates.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has accused China of “underrepresenting” Severity of its COVID-19 outbreak In relation to hospital admissions, deaths and intensive care unit admissions, according to a statement issued by the United Nations.
Speaking at a press briefing on 4 January, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was concerned about the increase in COVID-19 cases in China.
“WHO is concerned about the risk to life in China and reiterates the importance of vaccination, including booster doses, to protect against hospitalization, severe illness and death,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the press briefing.
“With the circulation in China not so much and comprehensive data coming through – as I said last week, it is understandable that some countries are taking steps that they believe will protect their citizens. This data useful to WHO and the world and we encourage all countries to share it,” he said.
Speaking at the briefing later, WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan called on Chinese officials to share more information, according to a statement released by the United Nations.
Ryan said the current numbers being published from China “underrepresented” the true impact of COVID-19.
“We believe the current numbers being published from China reflect the true impact of the disease in terms of hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and especially deaths,” Mike Ryan said at the press briefing.