The COVID-19 situation in China remains at a relatively low level despite a recent uptick in cases reported across sentinel hospitals nationwide, according to a researcher from the country’s CDC infectious disease division.
Since last October, the COVID-19 epidemic has been classified as between an epidemic and endemic, with virus activity remaining low, said Chang Zhaorui during a press conference yesterday. There was a small increase in cases in late May, but numbers returned to low levels by mid-June.
In the last month, new confirmed cases nearly tripled from May’s figures, reaching around 79,000, with 130 classified as severe and one resulting in death, based on earlier data from the CDC. The primary circulating strain continues to be the NB.1.8.1 variant, with no emergence of new variants that could pose additional public health threats.
Chang emphasized that COVID-19 has transitioned into a common respiratory infectious disease, and the public should not be overly alarmed by normal fluctuations in case numbers. Still, maintaining good hygiene, including handwashing and cough etiquette, is advised, especially as people travel more between regions during the summer.
In recent years, mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya fever have become widespread in many tropical and subtropical countries. Climate change has played a role by expanding the habitats suitable for Aedes mosquitoes, explained Li Jiandong, a researcher at the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention.
With increased cross-border travel and more summer tourism in China, the risk of imported cases and regional spread has grown, potentially leading to local outbreaks, Li added.
Last month, Guangdong province reported 50 cases of dengue fever and 36 cases of chikungunya fever, according to local CDC data. Since April 1, chikungunya fever has been classified as a Category B infectious disease in China.