Chinese capital Beijing reports first COVID deaths since policy easing

Two former Chinese state media journalists have died in the capital Beijing in recent days due to COVID-19, local media reported on Friday, among the first reported fatalities since most epidemic control policies were removed on Dec. 7.

Yang Lianghua, a former People's Daily reporter, died on Dec. 15, aged 74, while Zhou Zhichun, a former China Youth Daily editor, died on Dec. 8, aged 77, according to financial magazine Caixin.

China's national health authority has not reported any official COVID deaths since dismantling many of its domestic epidemic control policies on Dec. 7. The last official deaths were reported on Dec. 3, in Shandong and Sichuan provinces.