Category: Asia
How Deadly Was China’s Covid Wave?
(New York Times) Two months after China ended “zero Covid,” rough estimates suggest that between 1 and 1.5 million people died — far more than the official count. After China relaxed the world’s most stringent Covid-19 restrictions in December, the virus exploded. Hints of the surge were everywhere: Hospitals turned away patients. Crematories were overwhelmed with […]
Feb 16, 2023
Do China’s COVID vaccines do the job?
(NPR) As COVID spreads rapidly through China, rumors circulate about the effectiveness and safety of the Chinese-manufactured vaccines. But what does the scientific data actually say about these shots? China is in the midst of a huge COVID surge. The country rolled back COVID restrictions last month. Now scientists estimate China could be facing more […]
Jan 3, 2023
‘Tragic Battle’: On the Front Lines of China’s Covid Crisis
(NYT) Medical staff are outnumbered and working sick as the nation’s health care system buckles under the strain of a spiraling crisis. Slumped in wheelchairs and lying on gurneys, the sickened patients crowd every nook and cranny of the emergency department at the hospital in northern China. They cram into the narrow spaces between elevator […]
Dec 27, 2022
COVID infections surge in Beijing causing hospital shortages
(NPR) AUDIO For nearly three years, China focused on keeping the virus outside of its borders. But now COVID is spreading largely unchecked across the country, leaving hospitals filled and medical resources scarce. In Beijing, so many people are ill, there aren’t enough ambulances. NPR’s Emily Feng brings us this report.
Dec 27, 2022
China COVID wave could kill one million people, models predict
(Nature) Up to one million people in China could die from COVID-19 over the next few months, according to some of the first projections since the government lifted many of its strict ‘zero-COVID-19’ measures. However, two studies find that the number of deaths could be reduced by giving most of the population a fourth vaccine […]
Dec 20, 2022
Chinese authorities race to contain new waves of ‘dire and complicated’ outbreaks
(South China Morning Post) Covid flare-ups in Guangzhou have authorities ramping up restrictions, mass testing to contain infections. New variants are spreading faster, forcing parts of the country to endure chaotic Covid curbs. Authorities in Guangzhou said they faced a “dire and complicated” outbreak as the number of Covid-19 cases rose sharply reporting more than […]
Nov 1, 2022
Uptick of COVID-19 cases are emerging in China, with 1,026 new infections on Saturday
Reuters – China reported 1,026 new COVID-19 infections for Oct. 15, of which 244 were symptomatic and 782 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Sunday. That compared with 1,364 new cases a day earlier – 361 symptomatic and 1,003 asymptomatic, which China counts separately. There were no new deaths, the same as the […]
Oct 17, 2022
Japan’s COVID herd immunity near 90% after Omicron wave, study says
Reuters – Japan’s population level immunity to COVID-19 has reached about 90% in major population areas after a recent Omicron wave, though that level of protection is likely to diminish in a matter of months, according to a study published on Tuesday.
Sep 28, 2022
Turkish Embassy Official Dies Of Pneumonia In ‘Coronavirus-Free’ Turkmenistan
Radio Free Europe – An official of the Turkish Embassy in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, has died of pneumonia in the only Central Asian nation that has not officially registered a single coronavirus case. Citing unnamed officials at the Turkish embassy, Turkmen.news and the Turkish TRT Avaz media outlet reported that an adviser on religious issues, […]
Sep 26, 2022
Major Covid Holdouts in Asia Drop Border Restrictions
NYT – Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan have relaxed their pandemic rules, as they look to bolster their economies and play catch-up with much of the world. Hong Kong said on Friday that it would abandon mandatory hotel quarantine for people coming to the city starting next week, following a similar move by Taiwan. Japan […]
Sep 23, 2022