Days after China announced a rollback of its strict COVID-19 restrictions, a disturbing video has surfaced on social media.
The video reportedly shows a 31-year-old woman struggling to breathe outside a hospital in Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, where she was refused medical assistance because she was suffering from a high fever, as reported by local news outlet NTDTV.
Woman Seen Gasping for Air Outside Hospital
Video footage of the alleged incident is now being circulated on social media. The clip, shared on Reddit and Twitter, shows the young woman sitting on the pavement outside a hospital, gasping for air with her mouth wide open and screaming in pain moments before collapsing.
At one point, a hospital staff member is seen standing beside the woman before she turns around and leaves without administering any treatment to the ailing woman. The following video is graphic in nature. Viewer discretion is advised:
Social media users who shared the video said the woman had a high fever for several days before she finally went to Gaoping No. 5 Hospital to seek medical treatment but was refused admission over fears of COVID-19 symptoms.
Hospital Claims Woman Died of 'Acute Myocarditis'
The woman reportedly died moments after the video was shot. The outlet said the hospital claimed the cause of death was "acute myocarditis."
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle. It is usually caused by a viral infection. A severe case can weaken the heart, which can lead to heart failure, abnormal heartbeat, and sudden death. According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms include chest pain, abnormal heartbeat, and shortness of breath. The condition can be treated with medication to regulate the heartbeat and improve heart function.
China is currently facing a tremendous surge in COVID-19 cases, a week after lifting its draconian "zero-COVID" measures across the country. China reported 2,157 new symptomatic COVID-19 infections on Dec. 15, compared with 2,000 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said on Friday. As of Dec. 15, mainland China had confirmed 374,075 cases with symptoms.
China's public health officials said that possibly 800 million people could be infected with the coronavirus over the next few months, NPR reported.
