China reports first COVID deaths since January 2021

Two deaths were recorded in the northeastern province of Jilin, the epicentre of an Omicron-fuelled wave of cases that has left millions facing stay-home orders

China has announced its first confirmed COVID-19 deaths in more than a year, amid an Omicron-fulled surge of cases in the country’s northeast.

Qazet.az reports that the two deaths were both reported on Saturday in Jilin province, bringing the country’s coronavirus death toll to 4,638.

It marks the first increase in China’s death toll since January 26, 2021, as the country battles an Omicron-driven surge of disease.

The deaths bring the country’s coronavirus death toll to 4,638.

China reported 4,051 new cases on Saturday, down from 4,365 the day before, the National Health Commission said.