A resident takes the nuceic acid testing in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin Province on March 13, 2022 as the city has started a new round of citywide testing. Photo: VCG

The immediate cause of death of the two people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Jilin, Northeast China's Jilin Province is not from infection of coronavirus, health authorities confirmed on Saturday. It refutes Western media's accusations that China has failed to fight the epidemic.

The two men, aged 65 and 87 respectively had suffered from multiple serious underlying diseases. One of them had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a government press conference.

The two patients had mild symptoms of COVID-19, and the immediate cause of their deaths was their underlying diseases, officials said.

Epidemic prevention experts in Jilin explained that there has been widespread community transmission and a number of elderly patients infected with coronavirus have been admitted to designated hospitals for treatment since the outbreak. Most of these patients are suffering from multiple underlying diseases. 

According to statistics, the average age of patients that die from COVID-19 is over 70 years around the globe.

The risk of severe illnesses and deaths caused by coronavirus infection among aged people is much higher than younger people and children due to chronic and underlying diseases.

However, the two positive cases of COVID-19 have become a tool for some Western media to attack the Chinese government's anti-epidemic policies and even the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

"Beijing's communist leadership has touted its low death rate relative to other countries as evidence of the strength of its one-party governance model," said an article by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Another line in the AFP report recklessly claimed that "the two new deaths were buried in the health commission's daily report, and state-controlled media outlets made little mention of them."

Meanwhile, the details of the two deaths have been reported in both local and State Council press conferences, as well as daily updates released from the National Health Commission.

Besides, the health authorities also issued a special warning to the public, especially the elderly, to strictly take daily precautions, avoid gathering, wear masks and get vaccinated in time according to their health conditions.

Global Times