China’s President Xi Jinping called on authorities to adopt measures to “effectively protect” the lives of his countrymen in the face of advancing covid-19, in his first public statements, this Monday, since Beijing relaxed health restrictions.
“We should start a patriotic health campaign in a more targeted way to strengthen prevention and control of the epidemic and effectively protect people’s lives, safety and health,” Xi said, according to state channel CCTV.
Also read: China says no new Covid deaths after changing criteria
Three years after the first cases of covid-19 were detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan (center), the Asian country is facing an explosive increase in the number of those infected with the virus.
Many hospitals are overcrowded and pharmacies are facing a shortage of medicines. In addition, employees at several crematoria reported to AFP a marked increase in the number of bodies.
China has officially acknowledged only six deaths from covid-19 since the suspension of restrictions. Analysts, however, consider that the balance is much lower than the actual number of deaths, in a country where a large portion of the elderly are not vaccinated against covid-19.
