China Praises Medical Staff as 'Heroes' and Announces Support Measures... "Extra Points for Children's High School Entrance Exams"

7 Medical Staff Deaths During COVID-19 Treatment
China Provides Pensions to Families of Deceased
Bonuses and Benefits Offered to Frontline Medical Workers

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The Chinese government has decided to provide pensions and university admission bonus points for the children of medical staff fighting against the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to the Chinese state-run Global Times on the 19th, the Chinese government will provide pensions to medical staff who lost their lives while treating COVID-19.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The Chinese government announced that so far, seven medical staff have died and 3,019 have been infected in relation to COVID-19.

In China, doctors such as Li Wenliang, who first alerted the public to the existence of COVID-19, and Liu Zhiming, director of Wuchang Hospital who fought against the disease from the early stages and lost his life, are praised as heroes.

Medical staff fighting COVID-19 on the front lines will be provided with material benefits such as bonuses as well as special privileges regarding their children's education.

The Hubei Provincial Department of Education decided to grant an additional 10 points on the high school entrance exam this year to children of medical staff fighting COVID-19 on the front lines.

In Sichuan Province, children of medical staff caring for COVID-19 patients on the front lines will be given the benefit of being able to enroll in their desired schools from kindergarten through high school.

However, the Global Times also reported that there are criticisms that providing benefits not only to medical staff but also to their children is unfair.

The number of deaths from the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in China has surpassed 2,000.

On the 19th, the National Health Commission of China (NHC) reported that 136 new deaths from COVID-19 occurred nationwide the previous day, bringing the total number of deaths to 2,004. The number of new confirmed cases increased by 1,749 in one day, bringing the cumulative confirmed cases to 74,185.

Most of the deaths occurred in Hubei Province, where COVID-19 first emerged. Hubei Province reported 132 deaths and 1,693 confirmed cases the previous day. In particular, Wuhan, known as the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, recorded 116 deaths.

The total number of patients currently receiving treatment is 57,805, of whom 11,977 are in serious condition. The number of patients discharged after recovery is 14,376.