China announced that it had recorded about 60,000 COVID-19 deaths in five weeks, according to AFP.

Jiao Yahui, director general of the Bureau of Medical Administration of the National Health Commission, told reporters that between Dec. 8, 2022 and Jan. 12, 2023, China recorded a total of 59,938 deaths from coronavirus.

This is the first significant death toll from COVID-19 reported by the Chinese government since the abrupt lifting of health measures in early December.