High-Profile Deaths in China Spike in December 2022

Workers in protective gear handle a coffin at Dongjiao Funeral Parlor, reportedly designated to handle COVID-19 fatalities, in Beijing on Dec. 19, 2022. Bloomberg via Getty Images

The COVID pandemic once again swept across China in late 2022. Since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been covering up the true extent of the outbreak, there is no way to know the true number of deaths in China. However, based on statistics made public by some academic institutions and obituaries of some Chinese celebrities, the average death toll of Chinese celebrities in December 2022 is many times higher than in the past.

Peking University Health Department Deaths

From 2017 to November 2022 (71 months in total), Peking University Health Science Center issued 130 obituaries, or an average of 1.83 deaths per month, according to a statement released by the Center’s retirement office.

Peking University Health Science Center announced 18 deaths in December 2022, nearly 10 times the previous monthly average. It is 12 times higher than the average monthly death rate of 1.5 in 2019 (18 in total).

Chinese Academy of Engineering Deaths

According to the list of deceased engineering academicians released by the Chinese Academy of Engineering, from 1995, when complete data was available, to the end of 2021, a total of 255 academicians died, or an average of 0.787 academicians died every month for 27 years (324 months).