- Up to 250 million people caught Covid in the first 20 days of December in China, officials estimate as the country’s pandemic chaos continues to unfold.
- The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention believes 18 per cent of the population have been infected, after Beijing U-turned on its controversial zero Covid policy last month.
- Hospitals have been overwhelmed and morgues have filled up but official figures actually suggest cases were declining because of the cut-off of testing.