China Expects 4.2 Million Daily Infections in March Next Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] As Chinese epidemic prevention authorities ease COVID-19 lockdown measures, it is observed that there are 1 million infections and 5,000 deaths per day. There is even a grim forecast that the death toll will exceed 4 million by March next year.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Bloomberg News reported this on the 22nd (local time), citing the analysis of UK intelligence analysis firm Airfinity.

Airfinity predicted that the daily number of COVID-19 infections in China will soar to 3.7 million in January next year and 4.2 million in March. They anticipated that hundreds of millions of people visiting their hometowns for the Lunar New Year on February 22 will rapidly spread COVID-19 on their way back. In particular, the company pointed out that the COVID-19 statistics announced by Chinese authorities differ from reality.

According to the National Health Commission of China (NHC), since China eased epidemic prevention measures on the 7th, the total number of new COVID-19 deaths has been 7 so far. China is suspected of concealing the death toll by not counting COVID-19 deaths unless the cause of death is pneumonia or respiratory failure.