Beijing, Jan 14 (EFE).- Chinese officials on Saturday said there were nearly 60,000 Covid-19 related deaths in the period between December 8, when the country began to dismantle its zero coronavirus policy, and January 12 of this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
National Health Commission authorities said the average age of the 59,938 registered deaths was around 80, the state-run Global Times reported. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The experts said 90.1% of the patients who died were over 65 and that 90% had underlying health conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A total of 5,503 deaths resulted from respiratory failure directly linked to Covid-19 while 54,435 were underlying conditions that worsened due to the infection, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is the first time Chinese officials have provided a national death toll since reeling back its strict zero-Covid policy, which had been in place since the pandemic began. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the commission, the peak of severe Covid-19 cases in the current wave of infection passed on January 5, some three weeks after China relaxed its strict coronavirus policy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rapid spread of the virus in China in recent weeks has cast doubt on the reliability of official figures, which until now have reported only a handful of recent deaths from the disease despite a surge of cases that has overwhelmed some hospitals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a study by Peking University, around 900 million people have been infected with Covid-19 in China since the dismantling of the zero-Covid policy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Health officials have warned that the current wave of infections might not peak until February or March. EFE<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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