China reported yesterday that 239 people died from COVID-19 in June in a significant uptick months after it lifted most containment measures.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention had reported 164 deaths in May and none at all in April and March.
China started employing a “zero-COVID” containment strategy in early 2020 and credits the strict lockdowns, quarantines, border closures and compulsory mass testing with significantly saving lives.
But the measures were lifted suddenly in December with little preparation, leading to a final surge in which about 60,000 people died, according to the official toll. Deaths this year peaked in January and February, hitting a high of 4,273 on Jan, 4, but then declined gradually to zero on Feb. 23, according to the Chinese CDC.
Chinese health officials didn’t say whether they expect the trend to continue or if they would recommend for preventative measures to be restored. MDT/AP
