Shanghai sees number of severe cases triple in 24 hours

Publish date: Thu, 21 Apr 2022, 07:06 PM

SHANGHAI : Shanghai reported a sharp increase in its number of seriously-ill Covid patients, raising concerns that the Chinese financial hub is likely to record more fatalities even as its worst virus outbreak appears to be coming under control.

The number of the patients in severe or critical condition in the city more than tripled to 159 as of Wednesday from just over 50 the previous day, Wu Qianyu, an official with the city’s health commission, said at a briefing Thursday (April 21).

The city, currently the epicentre of China’s worst outbreak since Wuhan more than two years ago, also reported eight deaths Wednesday, bringing total fatalities from the current outbreak to 25.

The surge in the number of seriously-ill Covid patients and increase in fatalities came as the outbreak itself appeared to be winding down after weeks of lockdown. New infections have fallen for four consecutive days to 18,495 on Wednesday.

The city’s relatively large elderly population is particularly vulnerable to the virus, as vaccination rates among them remain low. Only 62% of senior residents have been inoculated, said Shanghai government officials. Most of the 25 people who have died were unvaccinated.

With the number of severe cases on the rise, the outbreak could lead to more deaths in Shanghai, likely confirming suspicions raised by experts outside of China that the current outbreak could eventually turned out be deadlier than initially thought due to the vaccination gap and a lack of natural immunity, since the country has largely kept out Covid until now.

In Shanghai, nearly one in five of those infected with the virus are people aged 60 or above, while those aged 80 or above accounted for 2% of the total, according to official data.

Nevertheless, China’s official number of Covid deaths per capita overall remains one of the lowest in the world, a topic that’s the subject of growing debate because it appears to best nations with higher vaccination rates like New Zealand and South Korea.

 


  - Bloomberg

 

Discussions
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Tobby

Better send that dumbass Tiong from Miri to Shanghai!

2022-04-25 13:49

bang_miskin

China continues to shoot itself in the foot with their 'dynamic zero' Covid policy. Let's say China successfully achieve its zero Covid goals, what next? The entire world is already living with Covid, for better or for worse. Are they going to continue to hermetically sealed itself off from the rest of the world? Or "declare victory" and change strategy and gradually open up? If they decide to open up 'later', why not open up now?

2022-04-26 00:13

Tobby

Clearly show to western leaders CCP weakness! If CCP so afraid of mild Omicron, how can they face full blown war with US and EU, they can't!
If China attack Taiwan, US and EU simply release a new pandemic in China, kaboom, full lockdown, game over!
The longer CCP remain in denial and go on with this zero Covid, the higher the chances of chinese China not getting natural immunity from Omicron!
In the end, chinese China can't travel overseas and outsiders cannot come in!
Without natural immunity, one foreigner with Covid and wipe out a district in China! Our body need to be expose to Omicron to develop this god given natural immunity! Or else, as our ancient history had recorded, those without natural immunity will get severe health impact!
Anyway, i don't know what is the real agenda of this Zero Covid of CCP! But i doubt it's an advantage!

2022-04-26 00:38

bang_miskin

If China attack Taiwan, US and EU sanctions alone is enough to cripple China, no need to release a virus. Even without US and EU sanctions, the sheer scale and manpower needed to start and finish a war will put a severe strain on its people and the economy. This is not the same as fighting the Japanese 80 years ago, many Mainland Chinese are unwilling to fight with the Taiwanese (who are ethnically Chinese!)

A year ago I would have laughed at the idea of China invasion of Taiwan. While I have no doubt that China will win the war, the cost greatly outweighs any benefits. But when I look at China's determination towards pursuing a zero-Covid policy at any cost, taking over Taiwan at any cost seems more likely than I thought. I pray that such event will never happen in the near future.

2022-04-26 01:18

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