China's biggest COVID outbreak, in Shanghai, has again raised questions about the country's official data - especially a death rate that despite a recent jump, remains far lower than elsewhere
Shanghai had reported no COVID-19 deaths for more than a month after the current outbreak began in early March. But deaths suddenly started to creep up over the past 11 days. The city of 25 million people has now reported 285 COVID-related fatalities since April 17, from around confirmed 500,000 cases.
"They may die in their apartment and you have no idea at all. That happened in Wuhan too," he said, adding deaths in Shanghai could now be "at least" twice normal levels. Most people infected in Shanghai are young, with the local government estimating on April 20 that only a fifth of positive cases were over 60, compared with 27% in Hong Kong.
China does not give a definition for what it determines to be a COVID death, prompting speculation that not all fatalities related to the coronavirus are counted in official statistics. Official data was not available and it wasn't clear if additional deaths were caused directly by COVID-19. Reuters was unable to reach the funeral home for comment.
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