Chinese authorities on Thursday (3) issued an apology after the death of a 3yearold boy who was deprived of medical care due to drastic Covid19 health measures in the country.
“We sincerely accept the criticism and surveillance of the media and internet users. […] to prevent such accidents from happening again,” Lanzhou police wrote with rare regret.
The case sparked excitement earlier this week with a firestorm of online news against the hardline “zero Covid” policy.
“Three years of pandemic was his whole life,” wrote one netizen, referring to the child’s age.
Pictures that went viral on social media on Tuesday showed residents of Lanzhou (northwest) desperately trying to revive a child after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning.
In a message, the boy’s father complained about the slow arrival of help and said he was unable to leave his home due to city restrictions. Some residents were outraged.
China’s socalled “zero Covid” policy, in addition to mass testing, leads to isolation as soon as positive cases emerge. But it also leads to varying degrees of exit restrictions that affect districts or even entire cities.