[mdpopescu]

Maybe the Chinese actually counted the people dying of the flu, instead of every death where the deceased also had the virus.

[dboreham]

It seems that if you have the virus in your body (test positive), and you die, then with a high probability the virus caused your death (since it only stays in the body for ~10 days).

[malandrew]

Yes, but if you have comorbidities, it's easy for people to claim the cormorbidity is the cause of death.