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When the communist authorities in Beijing lifted many of the "zero-Covid" policy restrictions, following nationwide protests in November, health experts predicted that there could be a spike in cases.聽 That now seems to be happening, with reports of hospitals becoming overwhelmed with patients.聽 China is home to more than a billion people and there has been some vaccine hesitancy, especially among the older population which is most vulnerable to the worst impacts of the disease. With celebrations for Chinese New Year imminent there are fears that cases could rise - fast.聽 Official figures suggest one person died of Covid in China today - but one medical forecasting organisation in the UK claims that up to聽9,000 people might be dying every day of Covid already... For a better picture of the situation inside the country Rebecca Kesby has been speaking to Jonathan Cheng, the China bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal in Beijing. Photo shows: People wearing face masks walk on a street, as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks continue in Shanghai, China, December 13, 2022. Credit: Reuters
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