new Delhi: With a new wave of COVID-19 sweeping across China, President Xi Jinping on Saturday (December 31, 2022) called for greater effort and unity as the country entered a “new phase” in its approach to combating the pandemic. doing. In a televised speech to mark the new year, Xi said China had overcome unprecedented difficulties and challenges in the fight against the coronavirus, and “adapted” its policies when the situation and time required. goes.
Xi said, “Since the outbreak of the epidemic, most of the cadres and the public, especially medical personnel, grassroots workers have faced difficulties and persevered courageously.”
“With extraordinary efforts, we have overcome unprecedented difficulties and challenges and it has not been an easy journey for anyone,” he said.
“At present, the epidemic prevention and control is entering a new stage, it is still a time of struggle, everyone is persevering and working hard, and the dawn is ahead. Let’s work hard, perseverance means Victory, and unity means victory,” said the Chinese premier.
During his address, Xi also said that since COVID-19 hit China, we have put people first and lives first.
President Xi Jinping delivered his 2023 New Year’s address on New Year’s Eve.https://t.co/c6EnufrFQZ pic.twitter.com/L366hu2n8P— Hua Chunying (@SpokespersonCHN) December 31, 2022
“Following a science-based and targeted approach, we have adapted our COVID-19 response to the maximum possible extent in the light of the evolving situation to protect the lives and health of the people,” he added.
Xi, who was speaking about the current dire coronavirus situation in China for the second time in the past few days, said everyone is holding out with great patience.
He added, “And the beacon of hope is right in front of us. Let’s make an extra effort to see it through, because persistence and togetherness mean victory.”
It is notable that earlier this month China abruptly switched from a “zero-covid” policy that it had maintained for nearly three years, leading to uncontrolled coronavirus infections across the country. This has caused a further drop in economic activity and international concern, with Britain and France becoming the latest countries to impose curbs on travelers from China.
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As a new wave of Covid-19 infections overwhelms hospitals and funeral homes across China, hearers line up outside cremation grounds, fueling public concern.
UK-based health data firm Airfinity said on Thursday that some 9,000 people in China are possibly dying from the virus every day.
It said the cumulative deaths in China (a country of 1.4 billion people) since December 1 are likely to reach 100,000, with infections totaling 18.6 million.
Health experts have warned that China’s narrow criteria for identifying deaths related to COVID-19 will underestimate the true toll of the pandemic and could make it harder to tell people the best ways to protect themselves.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization on Friday once again urged China’s health authorities to regularly share specific and real-time information on the coronavirus situation in the country, as it continues to assess the latest surge in infections .