Here, in central China as in the rest of the country, the virus is progressing at high speed.

To the point that the authorities admit to being unable to measure the number of cases declared since the sudden abandonment of the “zero Covid” policy which followed three years of massive tests, confinements and limitation of population movements.

A caregiver at Chongqing hospital explains that he takes care of more than ten people a day and that 80 to 90% of them are infected with Covid, “mostly elderly people”.

“Many hospital workers have tested positive for the virus, but there is no choice but to continue working,” he laments.

The old man on his stretcher waited half an hour before being taken care of.

In an adjoining room, visibly overwhelmed doctors take care of patients who are also elderly, most of them suffering from Covid and on respiratory assistance.

Millions of elderly Chinese, the most vulnerable to Covid, are still not vaccinated.

However, a change initiated by the Chinese authorities in the method of counting deaths allows the latter to have reported no deaths.

This week, they argued that only people who died directly from respiratory failure were now counted and no longer those infected with Covid but who died of another disease.

"The elderly have other comorbidities. Only a small proportion die directly from respiratory failure caused by Covid infection," said an official.

Caregivers take care of a patient with Covid-19 in the emergency room of Chongqing hospital on December 22, 2022 in southwestern China © Noel Celis / AFP

At the Chongqing hospital, caregivers rush to the elderly, their relatives having trouble hiding their concern.

A doctor confirms that the hospital's activity revolves around the management of Covid-19 patients, without further details.

A semblance of normality

Outside, in the streets of Chongqing, there is a semblance of normality with a few passers-by and flowing traffic.

Residents explain that most of their relatives have already contracted the Covid and that many are apprehensive about leaving their homes.

A patient with Covid-19 is treated in the emergency room of Chongqing hospital on December 22, 2022 in southwestern China © Noel Celis / AFP

"In recent days, we have seen returns to workplaces and more traffic on the roads," said Xiang, a taxi driver.

"Since the reopening, the shops have not recovered. Before there were a lot of tourists, now there is no one. They are afraid," he regrets.

At a small neon-lit massage parlor in the Jiefangbei business district on Wednesday, 21-year-old employee Zheng complained about the dire economic situation.

“Chongqing has experienced drought, heat waves and an epidemic this year. All we need now is a flood!” he quips.

He says he was infected with Covid in recent weeks earlier in the month and searched several pharmacies for fever medication.

A patient with Covid-19 treated in the emergency room of Chongqing hospital on December 22, 2022 in southwestern China © Noel Celis / AFP

"We had no choice but to take care of ourselves at home... Many hospitals were no longer accepting patients, whatever the illness," said Yang, another taxi driver.

"We should have reopened a long time ago," he said.

© 2022 AFP