China says 239 people died from COVID-19 in June in a significant uptick

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China reported a notable increase in COVID-19-related deaths for June, with a total of 239 fatalities, a stark contrast from previous months after it had relaxed most of its containment measures. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention had documented 164 deaths in May, while April and March had seen no reported deaths.

In early 2020, China adopted a rigorous “zero-COVID” containment strategy, attributing the preservation of lives to strict lockdowns, mandatory quarantines, border closures, and widespread compulsory testing. However, in December, these measures were abruptly lifted without substantial preparation, leading to a final surge in which approximately 60,000 individuals lost their lives, according to official records. The highest death toll for this year was reached in January and February, peaking at 4,273 deaths on January 4, but gradually declining to zero on February 23, as indicated by the Chinese CDC.

Chinese health authorities refrained from predicting whether this trend would persist or if they would advise reinstating preventive measures. Out of the deaths recorded in June, two resulted from respiratory failure due to infection, while the rest were linked to pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other chronic ailments.

From January 3, 2020, to July 5, 2023, China officially registered 99,292,081 confirmed COVID-19 cases and reported 121,490 deaths to the World Health Organization. Experts speculate that the actual death toll in China might be significantly higher, potentially in the hundreds of thousands, though still notably lower compared to the United States and Europe.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about COVID-19 fatalities