Distinguished scientist says Lunar New Yr journey rush unlikely to result in a surge in COVID circumstances as most individuals have already been contaminated.
The potential for a large-scale COVID-19 rebound in China over the following few months is distant as 80 p.c of the nation’s inhabitants has been contaminated, a outstanding authorities scientist has mentioned.
Wu Zunyou, the chief epidemiologist on the China Heart for Illness Management and Prevention, mentioned on Saturday that the mass motion of individuals in the course of the ongoing Lunar New Yr vacation interval might unfold the pandemic, boosting infections in some areas, however {that a} second COVID wave is unlikely within the subsequent two to 3 months.
It is because the continued wave of the epidemic — pushed principally by a number of sub-branches of the Omicron pressure — “has already contaminated 80 p.c of the inhabitants”, he was quoted as saying on the Weibo social media platform.
Wu’s assertion got here as a whole lot of tens of millions of Chinese language individuals travelled throughout the nation for vacation reunions that had been suspended beneath just lately eased COVID-19 curbs.
With some 5 billion passenger journeys anticipated, fears have risen of latest outbreaks in rural areas which are much less outfitted to handle massive numbers of infections.
However the authorities has moved to assuage issues, with the Nationwide Well being Fee saying on Thursday that China has handed the height of COVID-19 sufferers in fever clinics, emergency rooms and with vital circumstances.
Almost 60,000 individuals with COVID-19 had died in hospital as of January 12, in accordance with authorities knowledge, roughly a month after China abruptly dismantled its zero-COVID coverage.
However some consultants mentioned that determine in all probability vastly undercounts the total impact, because it excludes those that die at dwelling and since many medical doctors have mentioned they’re discouraged from citing COVID-19 as a reason for demise.
