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☆ U.S. plans to lift Covid testing requirements for travelers from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Sally Bronston | Zoë Richards | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. plans to lift a Covid testing requirement for travelers from China put in place earlier this year, a source familiar with the matter said Tuesday. The U.S. began requiring pre-departure negative Covid tests for travelers ages 2 and up flying from China on Jan. 5. The policy followed a surge in coronavirus cases in China after it ended its strict "Covid-zero" policy in December. China has repeatedly been accused of undercounting Covid-related deaths. After the Covid travel policy was implemented in January, U.S. officials have seen evidence that cases, hospitalizations and deaths in China are declining, sources familiar with the decision to lift the testing requirement said.

Analysts say they have based their 2023 Paxlovid sales estimates primarily on public details of announced deals, with a token amount of estimated China sales from before the country dropped the Zero-COVID policy. Their current estimates for over $10 billion in 2023 Paxlovid sales is less than half the $22 billion Pfizer is expected to report for 2022, according to Refinitiv data. Billions of dollars in Paxlovid sales could be at stake for Pfizer. Even without a deal to sell Paxlovid broadly in China, the company can still sell it there on the private market. China is "probably the only region that we're modeling a year-over-year increase in 2023" for Paxlovid, Conover said.

☆ Rural China is running out of coffins because COVID-19 is rampant — and the cost of funerals is skyrocketing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Rural areas in China are running out of coffins amid a COVID-19 outbreak, the BBC reported. There's no official COVID-19 death count or estimate in some rural areas in China. One villager told BBC that funeral industry workers were "earning a small fortune." One doctor who operates a small clinic in rural china told BBC that he is hopeful the worst is over and that most of the residents in his town had already caught COVID-19. But there is a concern that more COVID-19 deaths are still to come, the BBC reported.

☆ Chinese pray for health in Lunar New Year as COVID death toll rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Alessandro Diviggiano | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

One Beijing resident said she wished the year of the rabbit will bring "health to everyone". "I think this wave of the pandemic is gone," said the 57-year-old, who only gave her last name, Fang. Chinese health experts say the wave of infections across the country has already peaked. The death count reported by Chinese authorities excludes those who died at home, and some doctors have said they are discouraged from putting COVID on death certificates. The possibility of a big COVID rebound in China over the next two or three months is remote as 80% of people have been infected, Wu said.

[1/3] A medical worker helps a patient receiving treatment at the emergency department of a hospital, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China January 17, 2023. Some health experts expect more than one million people will die from the disease in China this year, with British-based health data firm Airfinity forecasting COVID fatalities could hit 36,000 a day next week. Hospitalisations rose by 70% on the previous week to 63,307, according to the WHO, citing data submitted by Beijing. China said last Saturday that nearly 60,000 people with COVID had died in hospital between Dec. 8 and Jan. 12 - a roughly 10-fold increase from previous disclosures. However, that number excludes those who died at home, and some doctors in China have said they are discouraged from putting COVID on death certificates.

SHANGHAI — Patients are crammed into hallways, stairwells and lobbies, and still the sick keep coming. After international criticism that it had not been transparent about the severity of the outbreak, the Chinese government said last weekend that it had recorded 60,000 Covid-related deaths since Dec. 8. But that figure covers only those who have died in hospitals, suggesting the true death toll could be much higher. “My father had no symptoms but still died,” one 31-year-old woman said outside a hospital in central Shanghai. On the day my father moved into the hospital, almost all patients in the emergency department died.”

China said last Saturday that nearly 60,000 people with COVID died in hospitals between Dec. 8 and Jan. 12 - a roughly ten-fold increase from previous disclosures. However, that number excludes those who die at home, and some doctors in China have said they are discouraged from putting COVID on death certificates. China's chaotic exit from a regime of mass lockdowns, travel restrictions and frequent COVID testing, has also prompted a run on drugs as people fend for themselves against the disease. To meet soaring demand, drugmakers in China are ramping up operations to triple their capacity to make key fever and cough medicines, the state-run China Daily reported on Thursday. Medical facilities are relatively weak in rural areas, thus prevention is difficult and the task is arduous," Xi said, adding that the elderly were a top priority.

He heard at that time that Pfizer's (PFE.N) anti-viral drug Paxlovid was an effective treatment, but patients could only get it prescribed if they were admitted to hospital, and only if the drug was in stock. Li's experience, local media reports and online posts bear testimony to the difficulties faced obtaining Paxlovid in China through official channels. "Pfizer is actively collaborating with Chinese authorities and all stakeholders to secure an adequate supply of Paxlovid in China. We remain committed to fulfilling the COVID-19 treatment needs of Chinese patients and partnering with the Chinese government," the company said in a statement. PAXLOVID GIFTSeveral other people described to Reuters how they turned to the grey market to purchase Paxlovid.

☆ In rural eastern China, not testing for COVID becomes the norm
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Brenda Goh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Breathing problems, body aches and lethargy had prompted her to visit a hospital in her home village in Tonglu county in eastern China's Zhejiang province' for treatment. It was a common reaction among patients in Tonglu, illustrating how COVID-19 is spreading across China without recognition, especially in its vast rural regions. Several residents around Tonglu county told Reuters they had COVID symptoms or believed they had been infected previously, but that testing was not that common, especially for those living in the villages. Medical facilities visited this week by Reuters in Tonglu county, in one of China's most prosperous regions and known for farming, were relatively calm. In Tonglu county, residents described how crowded the local crematorium was, echoing what funeral home staff in other cities such as Beijing and Shanghai have told Reuters.

☆ China is still racing to develop its own mRNA jabs. But they won't use foreign vaccines to fight COVID because of 'national pride,' says South Korea's top vaccine maker.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It hasn't yet approved any mRNA vaccines. But SK Bioscience says China is unlikely to source foreign COVID-19 vaccines, due to "national pride." SK Bioscience has developed its own COVID-19 vaccine, which is now being used in South Korea. "China has administered 3.4 billion doses of COVID vaccines for its people, covering over 90% of its population," said Liu. Even so, Chinese drugmakers are racing to produce mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.

☆ PC giant Dell will reportedly stop using Chinese chips as soon as next year, and it shows how Washington-Beijing tensions are forcing companies to diversify their supply chains
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dell is planning to halt the use of Chinese semiconductor chips by 2024, per Nikkei. The PC giant also plans to slash the amount of other made-in-China parts in its products. It's not just made-in-China chips made by Chinese companies. Other than chips, Dell has also asked suppliers of other electronic parts — such as modules and circuit boards — to ramp up production capacity in countries outside China, per Nikkei. Even tech giant Apple was burned late last year when its iPhone output was hit by the country's zero-COVID drive.

China reported one new COVID-19 death in the mainland for Wednesday, compared with five a day earlier, bringing its official death toll to 5,259. Chinese health officials have said only deaths caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure in patients who had the virus are classified as COVID deaths. The methods for counting COVID deaths have varied across countries since the pandemic first erupted in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. British-based health data firm Airfinity has estimated about 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID. TESTING WASTEWhile countries try to get more information on the extent and severity of China's outbreak, several have imposed requirements on travellers from China to be tested for COVID.

Meanwhile, World Health Organization officials met Chinese scientists on Tuesday amid concerns over the accuracy of China's data on the spread and evolution of its outbreak. China reported five new COVID-19 deaths for Jan. 3, compared with three a day earlier, bringing the official death toll to 5,258, very low by global standards. British-based health data firm Airfinity has said about 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID. Bookings for international flights from China have risen by 145% year-on-year in recent days, the government-run China Daily newspaper reported, citing data from travel booking platform Trip.com. But there are signs that an increase in travel from China could further spread the virus abroad.

☆ Morning Bid: Making waves
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Surveys out over the weekend showed China's factory activity in December shrank at the sharpest pace in nearly three years as COVID infections swept through production lines. About 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID, health data firm Airfinity said last week. Still, as trading progressed on Tuesday morning, traders appeared to be weighing longer-run prospects for the world's second-largest economy after the worst of the COVID waves had passed. The Chinese yuan rose to a four-month high and stocks in Hong Kong, Seoul and Shanghai shook off early losses. chartKey developments that could influence markets on Tuesday:- U.S. manufacturing PMI (December)Reporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Edmund KlamannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/Tingshu WangBEIJING/WUHAN, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Some people in China's key cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan braved the cold and a spike in COVID-19 infections to return to regular activity on Monday, confident of a boost to the economy as more recover from infections. But Monday's one new COVID death - flat with the previous day - among China's population of 1.4 billion does not match the experience of other countries after they re-opened. Cumulative deaths in China since Dec. 1 have probably reached 100,000, with infections at 18.6 million, it said. Airfinity expects China's COVID infections to reach their first peak on Jan. 13, with 3.7 million daily infections. China has said it only counts deaths of COVID patients caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure as COVID-related.

Jan 3 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever. China firing on something approaching all cylinders would offer a much-needed boost to the world economy this year. In the near term, however, China COVID fears may overshadow the long-term benefits and weigh on sentiment accordingly. A cautious start to the year for markets, and a gloomy Chinese PMI report, would come as no surprise. Three key developments that could provide more direction to markets on Tuesday:- Australia manufacturing PMI (December)- China Caixin manufacturing PMI (December)- U.S. manufacturing PMI (December)Reporting by Jamie McGeever in Orlando, Fla.; Editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Chinese manufacturing contracts sharply as COVID infections soar
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Economists in a Reuters poll had expected the PMI to come in at 48.0. The data offered the first official snapshot of the manufacturing sector after China removed the world's strictest COVID restrictions in early December. Cumulative infections likely reached 18.6 million in December, UK-based health data firm Airfinity estimated. GDP expanded 3% in the first nine months of 2022, versus China's official full-year goal of around 5.5%. The official composite PMI, which combines manufacturing and services, declined to 42.6 from 47.1.

[1/6] People release balloons as they gather to celebrate New Year's Eve, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China January 1, 2023. “I was still afraid when I came out tonight, but I just wanted to come out, because everyone has come out." In late November hundreds of people took part in lockdown demonstrations on the streets of cities across the country including Wuhan. “Those restrictions were in place for too long, so perhaps people were pretty unhappy," said 24-year-old Wuhan resident surnamed Chen, who works in e-commerce. “People have been afraid to come out since the COVID policy was loosened,” he said.

☆ The CDC is considering testing airline poop and toilet waste for COVID-19 as anxieties rise about China's virus spread
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The US is considering testing airline wastewater for COVID-19 to track the virus. Wastewater tests showed the presence of COVID-19 variants up to two weeks before people tested positive using nasal swabs. Three infectious disease experts told Reuters that testing wastewater collected on airplanes would be more effective at tracking the virus than testing travelers on entry. According to the South China Morning Post, the Malaysian government has announced that they will start screening toilet water on flights from China to track the virus. They will not, however, be testing travelers upon arrival to Malaysia.

☆ China censors COVID-related content online as New Year's Eve prompts reflection by some
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Eduardo Baptista | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

BEIJING, Dec 31 (Reuters) - New Year's Eve in China prompted an outpouring of reflection online, some of it critical, about the strict zero-COVID policy the country adhered to for almost three years. One Weibo hashtag about the video garnered almost 4 million hits before it disappeared from platforms around noon on Saturday. China has massively reduced its reporting of nationwide figures on COVID-19 infections. Cumulative infections in China likely reached 18.6 million in December, UK-based health data firm Airfinity estimated on Thursday. The infections have prompted international concern, particularly regarding the possibility of a new, stronger variant emerging out of China.

☆ China December manufacturing contracts at sharpest pace in almost 3 years
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese manufacturing activity contracted at its sharpest pace in nearly 3 years in December. China's factory activity shrank for the third straight month in December and at the sharpest pace in nearly three years as Covid infections swept through production lines across the country after Beijing's abrupt reversal of anti-virus measures. The data offered the first official snapshot of the manufacturing sector after China removed the world's strictest Covid restrictions in early December. Reuters reported on Wednesday that Tesla plans to run a reduced production schedule at its Shanghai plant in January, extending the reduced output it began this month into next year. Weakening external demand on the back of growing global recession fears amid rising interest rates, inflation and the war in Ukraine may further slow China's exports, hurting its massive manufacturing sector and hampering an economic recovery.

☆ COVID travel curbs against Chinese visitors 'discriminatory' -state media
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Bernard Orr | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Global spending by Chinese visitors was worth more than $250 billion a year before the pandemic. China's official death toll of 5,247 since the pandemic began compares with more than 1 million deaths in the United States. UK-based health data firm Airfinity said on Thursday around 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID. Airfinity expects China's COVID infections to reach their first peak on Jan. 13, with 3.7 million cases a day. China has said it only counts deaths of COVID patients caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure as COVID-related.

☆ China COVID deaths accelerate to 9,000 a day - UK research firm Airfinity
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Cumulative deaths in China since Dec. 1 likely reached 100,000 with infections totalling 18.6 million, Airfinity said in a statement. Airfinity expects China's COVID infections to reach their first peak on Jan. 13 with 3.7 million cases a day. Airfinity expects deaths to peak on Jan. 23 around 25,000 a day, with cumulative deaths reaching 584,000 since December. Since Dec. 7 when China made its abrupt policy U-turn, authorities have reported 10 COVID deaths. Airfinity expects 1.7 million deaths across China by the end of April, according to its statement.

☆ 'The ICU is full': medical staff on frontline of China's COVID fight say hospitals are 'overwhelmed'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Martin Quin Pollard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Bernstein's account reflects similar testimony from medical staff across China who are scrambling to cope after China's abrupt U-turn on its previously strict COVID policies this month was followed by a nationwide wave of infections. "The hospital is just overwhelmed from top to bottom," Bernstein told Reuters at the end of a "stressful" shift at the privately owned Beijing United Family Hospital in the east of the capital. In the past month, Bernstein went from never having treated a COVID patient to seeing dozens a day. Elsewhere in China, medical staff told Reuters that resources are already stretched to the breaking point in some cases, as COVID and sickness levels amongst staff have been particularly high. The National Health Commission did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the concerns raised by medical staff in this article.

☆ China health commission stops publishing daily COVID figures
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Despite the record surge of infections, the NHC had reported no COVID deaths nationwide for four consecutive days before halting the data release. China narrowed its definition for reporting COVID deaths, counting only those from COVID-caused pneumonia or respiratory failure, raising eyebrows among world health experts. British-based health data firm Airfinity last week estimated China was experiencing more than a million infections and 5,000 deaths a day. After COVID cases were breaking daily records in late November, the NHC this month stopped reporting asymptomatic infections, making it harder to track cases. The World Health Organization has received no data from China on new COVID hospitalisations since Beijing eased its restrictions.

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