COVID-19 Fear Hits China... Unreliable Statistics and Soaring Demand for Diagnostic Devices

Rapid Increase in Sales of 'Sanso Powa Do Cheugjeonggi' in China
Used to Assess Body Oxygen Supply and Diagnose Health Conditions

On the 20th, citizens in Beijing, China, were moving while wearing masks during the morning rush hour. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Recently, in China, where COVID-19 restrictions have been eased, sales of oxygen saturation monitors have been increasing. Oxygen saturation monitors are devices that measure the amount of oxygen in the blood. They are used to indirectly determine whether the body is receiving an adequate supply of oxygen.

According to the state-run Global Times on the 24th, sales of oxygen saturation monitors have surged in China since the easing of restrictions on the 7th. As COVID-19 has rapidly spread locally, these devices, along with thermometers, have become important tools for checking health status.

According to Baidu Index, China's largest portal site, the average daily number of searches for oxygen saturation monitors this month reached 8,956. This represents an increase of about 46% compared to the previous month.

The related industry is experiencing a boom. A customer service representative from an online medical device retailer told the media, "Orders for oxygen saturation monitors have surged, and warehouse packaging staff are working overtime to meet shipping deadlines." An employee of the medical device company Youwell stated, "Inquiries about oxygen saturation monitors have increased recently," adding, "Due to logistics congestion, consumers have to wait for deliveries."

On the 23rd, patients lie on beds set up in the lobby of a hospital in Chongqing, southwestern China. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Chinese health authorities have reported daily confirmed cases at around 2,000 to 3,000, but this statistic has been criticized as nearly fabricated. Critics point out that this figure is far from the reality of a surge in suspected COVID-19 fever patients and deaths across China.

Taiwan's Central News Agency estimated that about 250 million people contracted COVID-19 in China in December alone. Citing an internal document from China's National Health Commission (NHC), the agency reported that this accounts for approximately 18% of China's total population.

Bloomberg also estimated daily confirmed cases in China at 37 million on the 20th based on the same document. In contrast, according to the official Chinese government tally, the number of confirmed cases on that day was only 3,049.

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