Covid-19 infections may rebound in China in January: Report
There is a possibility of a rebound in the Covid-19 infection epidemic in China in January, Chinese health authorities said on Sunday, China-based Global Times reported.
The number of patients received at fever clinics in medical institutions in China has witnessed a decline since New Year's Day. However, there is a possibility of a rebound in the Covid-19 infection epidemic in China in January, Chinese health authorities said on Sunday, China-based Global Times reported.
Addressing a press briefing, National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng said that the number of patients received at fever clinics in health institutions across China has witnessed a fluctuating downward trend. At present, respiratory diseases are mainly influenza, and the infection of Covid-19 is at a relatively low level.
Recent data showed that the positive rate of Covid-19 virus testing in sentinel hospitals remained below one percent after the New Year's Day holiday, and the proportion of the JN.1 variant strain showed an upward trend, said Wang Dayan, director of the China National Influenza Center, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC).
Experts believe China will continue to experience various respiratory pathogens alternating or co-circulating this winter and in the coming spring, with influenza viruses still dominating in the short term, The Global Times reported.
Wang said due to continuous importation of the JN.1 variant strain, a gradual decrease in domestic influenza, and a decline in population immunity, the Covid-19 epidemic may rebound in January, with the JN.1 variant highly likely to develop into the dominant variant in China.
Wang stressed that it is necessary to strengthen monitoring and early warning as the winter vacation and Spring Festival are approaching and the large-scale movement and gathering of people may accelerate the spread of respiratory diseases.
Timely health consultation and referral guidance services should be provided to the elderly, pregnant women, children, and patients with chronic underlying diseases, along with vaccinations, Wang said, adding that it is important to actively allocate medical resources, optimize the medical treatment process, and ensure the supply of medical supplies.