A medic group in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, help local residents in need to select drugs other medical supplies and deliver to their household amid a COVID flare-up on September 8, 2022. Photo: IC

The deaths of COVID-19 patients due to underlying diseases, which is the main cause of their deaths, are not counted as victims of Omicron infections, said a Chinese epidemiologist on Tuesday. 

Wang Guiqiang, director of the infectious diseases department at Peking University First Hospital, made the remarks at a press conference. Although Omicron variants still cause pneumonia infections in some cases, they rarely lead to respiratory failures, the expert noted.

Deaths caused by pneumonia or respiratory failures due to the coronavirus are classified as COVID-related deaths. While deaths caused by other diseases or underlying diseases, such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and myocardial infarction, are not classified as those caused by COVID-19, Wang explained.

The epidemiologist explained that as the pathogenic rate of Omicron strains is significantly decreased and the vaccination is widely covered in most parts of the country, the Omicron strains are now mainly invading the upper respiratory tract after infection, and the proportion of pneumonia in the lower respiratory tract is relatively low.

A total of 2,722 confirmed cases were reported in the Chinese mainland on Monday, with 35,976 confirmed cases still under medical observation and treatment nationwide. As of Monday, a total of 383,175 confirmed cases and 5,242 deaths were reported nationwide, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).

Wang noted that only few elderly people actually died directly from respiratory failures caused by COVID-19 infections, and that the NHC clarified the interpretation of COVID-related deaths through evaluation in order to scientifically and realistically reflect the deaths caused by this disease.

According to the website of the NHC, seven people have died from COVID-19 in the past week, and these confirmed deaths all came from Beijing.

Authorities earlier called for special attention to the classification and management of the health status for key populations, adding that local health workers and family doctors should act as "gatekeepers" in this respect. 

Communities should monitor the situation of elderly residents who have underlying diseases such as cerebrovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, diabetes, or tumors as part of classified management, health authorities reminded.

Global Times