Residents in Beijing, Northeast China Report New Highs in Pneumonia-Related Deaths

Workers in protective gear handle a coffin at the Dongjiao Funeral Parlor, reportedly designated to handle COVID-19 fatalities, in Beijing on Dec. 19, 2022. Bloomberg via Getty Images

Residents in Beijing and northeast China have reported observing what appears to be a new high in pneumonia-related deaths amid severe cold as the latest wave of respiratory illness continues to sweep the country.

Local residents have said that this wave of pneumonia, which they believe is COVID-19, has been more severe than what they witnessed during the explosion of COVID-19 in December 2022, when the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) suddenly reversed its health policies and lifted its strict lockdown restrictions.

Peng Zhibin, director of the Respiratory Infectious Diseases Office of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a press briefing held by the National Health Commission on Dec. 24 that the current acute respiratory diseases in China are dominated by influenza viruses, circulating at the same time with other pathogens, such as mycoplasma pneumonia, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). He said influenza is now being seen at a high level.

This wave of pneumonia started to be noticed in China in September, although it was spreading mostly among children. Cases then spiked upward in mid-October, then further worsened in November, spreading to other age groups while continuing to sweep across the country. The CCP has attributed the outbreak to cross-infections of influenza, mycoplasma pneumonia, RSV, rhinovirus, and other respiratory infections while avoiding mention of and downplaying COVID-19.

However, the public and international community haven’t been convinced by the CCP’s official narrative. Recently, there have been increased reports of sudden deaths among young and middle-aged people in mainland China amid the raging pneumonia outbreak, and the public suspects that the deaths are related to COVID-19.

Luo Qi, a well-known finance journalist in mainland China and former chief representative of the Asia-Pacific region of Sina Finance’s International Department, died suddenly at age 36.

Ms. Luo’s mother posted an obituary on Chinese social media stating that Ms. Luo died of severe pneumonia on Dec. 24 at 5:50 p.m. after all-out medical efforts to treat her.

Pneumonia Deaths in Beijing

According to some Beijing residents, this wave of pneumonia has been very serious, with funeral homes there facing a surge in deaths, reportedly including more sudden deaths among young people.

Mr. Li, of Beijing, told The Epoch Times that this wave of the epidemic is indeed serious and that authorities have been suppressing epidemic information. Official reports haven’t been accurate, he said.

“I also had a viral cold, and taking ordinary cold medicines had no effect. It took me nearly a month to recover. The doctor said that it was a cold. I think this is not an ordinary cold, it is a respiratory disease that is more than 90 percent similar to the COVID-19,” he said.

“From the end of November to the beginning of December this year, there was a small peak in all funeral homes in Beijing. Quite a number of people died in my district.”

A number of people died suddenly during this period, which was particularly abnormal, according to Mr. Li.

“Many young people in their 30s suddenly fell to the ground and died. This situation is particularly prominent,” he said.

“A young man in my workplace, who was very healthy and active, actively participated in outdoor activities, had no physical problems, suddenly died at work at the end of last month.”

Mr. Zhang, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, posted on Chinese social media Weibo on Dec. 24 that since the outbreak of COVID-19, “many people’s immunity is not as good as before, after being infected with COVID-19 for the second time or the third time, and now mycoplasma pneumonia has not subsided, while influenza is on the rise again.​”

Deaths Rise in Severe Cold

China’s northeast regions continue to experience record-low temperatures and heavy snowfall. In recent weeks, the temperature in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, dipped to minus 26 degrees Celsius (minus 14.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

A resident of Changchun, Jilin Province, posted: “It’s more than 20 degrees below zero in Changchun, so cold! Everyone around me is getting sick. I got home and started to have a sore throat, and having a cold is so unbearable.”

In northeast China, many people have died suddenly, according to residents, who said they’ve seen corpses being transported to the crematoriums every day.

Mr. Lin, who lives in Changchun, told The Epoch Times that the COVID-19 outbreak never ended but that the difference has been between small-scale and large-scale outbreaks.

“This wave of the epidemic is particularly fierce, surpassing the wave at the end of last year,” he said.

“People infected are showing symptoms of COVID-19. However, hospitals and clinics do not conduct COVID-19 tests anymore but just put patients on IV (intravenous) treatment.”

Mr. Lin also said many sudden deaths have occurred.

“Every day, when I walk on the street, I can see hearses taking people to the crematoriums,” he said.

“These vehicles move very slowly, and while they are driving, they throw paper offerings [for the dead] on the road.”

Mr. Hou, who lives in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, told The Epoch Times that a particularly large number of elderly people have died this winter.

“I attended two funerals so far this winter. There were more than 70 mourners in the crematorium a day, and the crematorium started burning at 6 a.m.,” he said.

Huang Yun, Luo Ya, Fang Xiao, and Xiong Bin contributed to this report.