As COVID-19 surges, China’s crematoriums are overburdened

Beijing, Dec 17: The workers at the crematoriums in Beijing are overwhelmed with the number of bodies as China continues to battle COVID-19.

The COVID-19 wave has gripped the country and the administration is unable to control the problem. Report said that it would further strike the country's underdeveloped rural hinterland during the approaching public holiday. COVID-19 has spread swiftly across China after three years of rigorous containment restrictions which were relaxed last week.

China's main COVID-19 response authority has asked local governments on Friday to increase monitoring and treatment service for individuals returning to their families for the upcoming New Year Day and Lunar New Year celebrations. Three years after waiting due to the restrictions, a large percentage of Chinese population is expected to travel.

While the government data shows no fatalities since December 4, two Beijing funeral facilities said that they remained open 24 hours and offered same day cremation services to meet with the increasing demand.

"We're being worked to the bone! Over 10 of our 60 staff are positive for Covid but we have no choice," said one crematorium facility. Another said that they were cremating 20 bodies a day, mostly old people.

Reports said that since the removal of the domestic restrictions on December 7, China's national health authority has not recorded any official COVID-19 deaths. The last official deaths were recorded on December 4 in Shandong and Sichuan.

The Chinese government eased the restrictions amidst nation wide protests. Home quarantine has been allowed for many and the COVID-19 test rule for the public venues was relaxed.

During the protests anti-establishment slogans had been chanted by the people of Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Beijing, and other places. The protests were a rare display of public defiance in a country which had imposed a stringent curfew.