As COVID-19 is now perceived as a thing of the past, cases are rising again in China. The positivity rate among patients with flu-like symptoms recently surpassed 20%. However, with no deaths reported, it seems fair to say that COVID-19 has shed its label as a deadly infectious disease.

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COVID-19, perceived as a thing of the past, is rising again in China. However, the situation does not appear to be critical. As a result, the scenario that unfolded in Wuhan, Hubei province, during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak is expected never to recur. / Courtesy of The Beijing News

According to Beijing sources familiar with Chinese health information on the 2nd, China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) said the positivity rate for COVID-19 testing has continued to rise recently, reaching 20.3% in the fourth week of last month (the 20th to 26th). This means that one in five respiratory samples taken from patients with flu-like symptoms at hospital outpatient and emergency departments nationwide tested positive for COVID-19.

The authorities noted that the positivity rate rose 4 percentage points from the previous week. However, they stressed that this reflects a moderate epidemic pattern consistent with normal periodic fluctuation, adding that it is similar to the epidemic trends seen over the past two years. This suggests the situation is not considered particularly severe.

The authorities also emphasized that while most current infections are mild, caution is needed as elderly people and those with chronic underlying conditions could develop severe illness.

The NB.1.8.1 variant lineage was found to account for the largest share of cases. By region and age group, positivity rates were significantly higher in southern China than in the north, with the 15-59 age group showing notably higher rates.

                                                                                                           Hong Soon-do