The exact extent of the current Covid-19 outbreak in China is now "
impossible
" to determine, the Ministry of Health conceded on Wednesday, December 14, with tests no longer mandatory since the sudden easing of health restrictions.
Beijing and its 22 million inhabitants are particularly affected by this wave of contamination, unprecedented in the city since the beginning of the pandemic and which has spread at lightning speed in recent days.
Vice Premier Sun Chunlan said infections were "
rising rapidly
" in the capital.
Some companies have reported 90% of their staff infected.
The number of new cases detected plunges
Last week, China drastically relaxed its anti-Covid health restrictions, which were intended to limit contamination and deaths as much as possible.
In particular, it decreed the end of automatic placement in a quarantine center for people who tested positive and the end of massive screening campaigns via PCR tests – which were almost compulsory.
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Consequence: the number of people who now take the initiative to go for a PCR test has fallen sharply.
Logically, the number of new cases detected plunges, giving the false impression that the situation is improving.
The Ministry of Health has thus confirmed that the official statistics no longer reflect reality.
Fear of being infected
“
Most people with the virus but asymptomatic no longer do PCR tests, so it is impossible to have an accurate idea of the true number of people infected
,” he said.
Most people now do self-tests at home, a method that goes under the radar of health authorities.
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If restaurants, shopping centers and parks reopen, the streets of Beijing remain very uncrowded.
Many sick residents are being treated at home, others are afraid of being contaminated and businesses are struggling to operate due to the contamination of staff.
Continue the reopening of the country
Pekingese also complain of stockouts of anti-cold and anti-fever medicines.
Search engine Baidu reported that searches for the word "
Ibuprofen
", a fever and flu medication, had increased by 430% in one week.
In complete reverse of its zero Covid strategy which it has long defended tooth and nail, the government today seems determined to continue the reopening of the country.
But the repercussions of this epidemic wave could be harshly felt by the hospital system, especially in less developed areas, and by the elderly, millions of whom are not yet fully vaccinated.
