Beijing: China will no longer publish daily figures for Covid-19 cases and deaths, National Health Commission (NHC) said, ending practice that began in early 2020.

Cities across China are struggling with surging virus cases, resulting in pharmacy shelves stripped bare and overflowing hospitals and crematoriums, after Beijing suddenly dismantled its zero-Covid regime earlier this month. Decision to scrap daily virus count comes amid concerns that country’s blooming wave of infections is not being accurately reflected in official statistics. Beijing last week admitted scale of outbreak has become “impossible” to track following end of mandatory mass testing. Last week, China also narrowed criteria by which Covid-19 fatalities were counted a move experts said would suppress number of fatalities attributable to virus. NHC did not offer an explanation for its decision to stop releasing daily Covid data. “From today, we will no longer publish daily information on epidemic,” NHC said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 26 2022

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