---
title: "China says peak Covid-19 infections exceeded 7 million daily, deaths more than 4,000 daily"
description: "HONG KONG, Jan 25 (Reuters) - China's daily new Covid-19 infections hit a peak of more than 7 million per day around Dec. 22, while deaths reached a daily peak of more than 4,000 on Jan. 4, the country's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "COVID-19"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-01-25-china-says-peak-covid-19-infections-exceeded-7-million-daily-deaths-more-than-4000-daily/"
published: "2023-01-25T14:34:25"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 193
---

# China says peak Covid-19 infections exceeded 7 million daily, deaths more than 4,000 daily

> HONG KONG, Jan 25 (Reuters) - China's daily new Covid-19 infections hit a peak of more than 7 million per day around Dec. 22, while deaths reached a daily peak of more than 4,000 on Jan. 4, the country's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday.

By Reuters · Published 25 January 2023, 16:34 SAST

## Key points
- China's National Health Commission has reported that the number of Covid-19 infections and fever outpatient consultations have peaked, with over 7 million new cases recorded in a single day. Nearly 60,000 people with Covid-19 had died in hospital as of Jan. 12, though experts suggest this is an undercount due to many doctors being discouraged from citing Covid-19 as a cause of death. Despite this, a prominent government scientist said last weekend that 80% of China's population have already been infected, making the possibility of another big rebound remote.
- China's Covid-19 peak has passed, with the number of new infections and fever outpatient consultations peaking in December 2020.
- Nearly 60,000 people have died in hospital due to Covid-19 since January 2021.
- However, experts suggest this figure vastly undercounts the full impact as it excludes those who die at home and due to doctors being discouraged from citing Covid-19 as cause of death.
- Government scientist said over the weekend that 80% of China's 1.4 billion population have already been infected.

## Content

The figures, published on the centre's website, come after a prominent government scientist said over the weekend that 80% of China's 1.4 billion population have already been infected, making the possibility of a big Covid-19 rebound over the next two or three months remote.

"Around December 22, 2022, the number of infected people and the number of fever outpatient consultations reached a peak," it said with the number of new infections "exceeding 7 million per day and the number of daily fever outpatient consultations peaking at 2.867 million".

China has passed the peak of Covid-19 patients in fever clinics, emergency rooms and with critical conditions, a National Health Commission official said last week.

Nearly 60,000 people with Covid-19 had died in hospital as of Jan. 12, roughly a month after China abruptly dismantled its strict zero-COVID policy, according to government data.

But some experts said that figure probably vastly undercounts the full impact, as it excludes those who die at home and because many doctors have said they are discouraged from citing Covid-19 as a cause of death.

(Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and the Beijing newsroom; editing by Alex Richardson)