China Covid: How many cases and deaths are there?

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There have been reports that hospitals in China are being overwhelmed

There is concern over the spread of Covid in China following the recent easing of strict lockdown measures.

There have been reports that hospitals across the country are under pressure amid a fresh wave of infections.

How many Covid cases and deaths are there in China?

Officially, there have only been 13 Covid deaths throughout December.

However, China has limited criteria for confirming Covid-19 deaths, which only includes those who die directly from respiratory illnesses caused by coronavirus, and not deaths caused by its knock-on effects.

The counting method does not correspond with WHO guidance, and results in a figure that is way below the death toll in many other countries.

China has already stopped mass testing and it is only recording positive cases at hospitals and fever clinics where the patient has Covid symptoms. Asymptomatic cases and positive results from home testing kits are not recorded in the data.

Currently the official count only records about 5,000 cases a day.

UK-based research company Airfinity said its model estimates cases in China could reach more than three million a day in January.

How much pressure are China's hospitals under?

Despite the official numbers being low, the World Health Organization has warned the healthcare system in China could be under severe pressure.

Reuters have reported that Chinese hospitals have been overwhelmed during the Christmas period, with footage showing long queues for clinics and patients on hospital beds in the middle of busy waiting rooms.

Images appear to show overrun hospitals, like this one in the city of Tianjin on 28 December

Videos have been emerging on social media throughout December appearing to show crowded hospitals.

By cross-referencing with other images posted online, the BBC has been able to verify two videos of overcrowding at a children's hospital in the city of Tianjin in northern China.

当下中国现状，天津儿童医院人满为患，闹哄哄的，患者得不到医治已经发生医疗冲突。 pic.twitter.com/GMXPadJmmo

However we have not been able to verify many of the other videos which have emerged.

It's difficult to confirm how severe the situation is compared with normal as China strictly controls information coming out of the country.

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The BBC's team in Beijing have reported on long queues outside health clinics, and on the high demand for fever remedies at pharmacies.

Temporary health centres are being set up along with intensive care facilities across the country.

National broadcaster CCTV has reported that Beijing's Chaoyang Hospital will boost its capability as the number of incoming patients increased by fourfold.

It's also been reported that in Shanghai an extra 230,000 hospital beds have been made available.

How has China's Covid policy changed?

There has been a sudden lifting of many of China's Covid restrictions following November's protests against strict lockdowns across the country.

Before the recent relaxation, China had one of the toughest anti-Covid regimes in the world - known as its zero-Covid policy.

The measures included strict lockdowns even if only a handful of Covid cases had been found, mass testing in places where cases were reported, and people with Covid having to isolate at home or under quarantine at government facilities.

Schools had been closed in Shanghai

Lockdowns have now been scrapped, and quarantine rules have been abolished.

A negative Covid test is no longer required to enter public transport, restaurants, gyms and other public buildings (with the exception of orphanages and care homes).

Chinese authorities have also said they will fully open borders from 8 January with no travel restrictions or quarantine measures for arrivals.

Several countries including the US have imposed Covid testing on visitors from China due to its ongoing Covid surge.

What are China's vaccination rates?

Overall, China says more than 90% of the population has been fully vaccinated.

However, less than half of people aged 80 and over have received three doses of vaccine. The vaccination rate back in April among this age group was much lower - less than 20%.

The authorities now say they require local health services to "strengthen immunization of the whole population, particularly the elderly".

There are doubts over whether the main vaccines used in China - Sinovac and Sinopharm - are effective against Omicron, the most widespread strain.

China has refused to use Western vaccines widely.

The government has given no official explanation. However, national pride may be a factor according to Dr Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow on China at the international affairs think tank Chatham House:

"I think it's Xi Jinping really thinking of things in terms of economic self-reliance - that need to have China produce and use its own vaccine, rather than import it from somewhere."

Reporting by Wanyuan Song, Jake Horton and Jeremy Howell.