China reports first COVID-19 death in eight months

China on Thursday reported its first COVID-19 demise in eight months.

The demise late Wednesday throughout a surge in instances in Shijiazhuang Metropolis was the primary reported by Beijing officers since Might.

Whereas the sufferer was not recognized, she was already severely ailing from an unspecified underlying sickness, the state-run company Xinhua Information stated.

The information sparked panic, with the hashtag “New virus demise in Hebei” getting 270 million views on Chinese language social media platform Weibo on Thursday, in keeping with Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“I haven’t seen the phrases ‘virus demise’ in so lengthy, it’s a bit stunning! I hope the epidemic can go quickly,” one consumer wrote, AFP stated.

Regardless of China being the epicenter of the preliminary outbreak of the pandemic, the most recent demise this week brings the preliminary determine of fatalities within the nation to simply 4,635.

To date there have been fewer than 100,000 confirmed instances in additional than a yr — with virtually 80 different nations now reporting extra, Johns Hopkins College information exhibits.

China claims to have largely managed the coronavirus by strict lockdowns and mass testing — though it has additionally been accused of concealing information to cover the true toll.

Greater than 20 million individuals have been put below various levels of lockdown in Hebei, Beijing and different areas in hopes of stemming infections forward of subsequent month’s Lunar New 12 months vacation.

The demise was introduced as a world group of scientists from the World Well being Group (WHO) lastly arrived in Wuhan, the Chinese language metropolis the place COVID-19 was first detected, to analyze its origins.

Nonetheless, two of the 15-strong group have been refused entry after they examined constructive for coronavirus antibodies earlier than leaving Singapore, the WHO said. They’re being re-tested within the hopes of continuous the journey.

The remainder of the group arrived on the Wuhan airport and walked by a makeshift clear plastic tunnel into the airport. The researchers, who wore face masks, have been greeted by airport employees in full protecting gear, together with masks, goggles and full physique fits.

They’ll endure a two-week quarantine however will “begin their work immediately” by working with Chinese language consultants through video convention whereas in quarantine.

It isn’t clear if they’ll get to go to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the lab US officers have steered may very well be the place the contagion originated.

With Submit wires