Amid Covid-19 surge, satellite pictures show crowds at China crematoriums: Report

According to new satellite images, more than a dozen crematoriums in China have shown an increase in activities with crowds at the sites in December and in January last year as Covid-19 infections continue to escalate in the nation, as per a report.

Space technology Maxar released the satellite images, first to The Washington Post, were taken over a period of time December 2022 and January 2022 across six districts. These funeral homes in China, where Covid-19 was first detected in late December 2019, witnessed an expansion along with an increase in the number of cars parked outside the sites.

The release of images also coincided with the weeks in which China recorded a worsening Covid-19 situation since early November 2022 despite imposing ‘zero-Covid’ restrictions. The Covid-19 cases in the country escalated to more than 35,000 to 40,000 by the end of that month.


In mid-December 2022, China’s President Xi Jinping-led government ceased to publish the data of asymptomatic cases. Ultimately, the change in administration’s policies led to lack of clarity of the current situation of the outbreak.

But, the fresh satellite images showed the expansion of the parking area in the funeral home in district Tongzhou in Beijing on December 24, 2022. Moreover, some of the pictures show clearance of a field which was alongside a crematorium with what appeared to be like multiple cars.



In the images captured in northeastern district Pingfang, Tongzhou in Beijing along with funeral homes near Hebei’s Kunming Xijiao, Nanjing, Donglin in Chengdu and Tangshan, a massive surge in crowds was recorded. The images also come in the backdrop of media reports stating that China’s healthcare workers in funeral parlours have flagged “unusual” situations for suspending memorial services.

Moreover, Beijing’s officials have not yet responded to satellite images released by Maxar technologies but Chinese state media reports have stated that the Coronavirus is “weak” and that most regions have crossed the peak of infections. From December 7, China’s official data only recorded 37 deaths due to Covid-19.

FAQs:

1. Who released satellite images from China?
   Maxar technologies
2. When did China lift ‘zero-Covid’ restrictions?
   December 7, 2022.