Coronavirus Surge After Relaxing ‘Zero COVID’ Strategy in China

China faces a potentially massive surge in coronavirus as it moves away from strict containment measures, with reports of long lines at fever clinics, drug shortages and hoarding across the country. However, considering that it does not account for asymptomatic infections, which China's National Health Commission announced on Wednesday that it would no longer track, that number is a significant under count of the actual number of cases.

In a notice, the commission stated, "It is impossible to accurately grasp the actual number of asymptomatic infections."

Wu Zunyou, China's chief epidemiologist, claims that the country is currently in the first of three anticipated waves of COVID cases this winter. If people return to their home areas via mass transit for the Lunar New Year holiday next month, as is typical, cases could multiply across the nation.

Since China abruptly lifted the majority of restrictions essential to a zero-tolerance policy against COVID on December 7, in response to unprecedented public protests against the protocol, the country has also yet to officially report any COVID deaths. President Xi Jinping had championed the strategy.

Mass testing for the virus has ended as part of the loosening of the zero-COVID restrictions. This raises the question of whether officially reported case numbers accurately reflect the extent of the outbreak. On December 17, China reported 2,097 new symptomatic COVID infections.

However, the large number of infections and the fear of contracting the virus are giving the impression that lockdown orders are still in effect in areas like Beijing. Numerous businesses have stopped operating because of the large number of sick people, and once-bustling streets are now empty.

As it backs away from strict mitigation measures, China is facing a potential massive coronavirus outbreak. There have been reports of long lines outside fever clinics, a lack of medicine, and panic buying all over the country.

Analysts have also expressed concern that a massive coronavirus outbreak could occur in China as a result of the loosening of strict regulations after protesters took to the streets and the elderly population's low vaccination rate.

According to Reuters, analysts at Eurasia Group stated in a note on Thursday, "Authorities have allowed cases in Beijing and other cities to spread to the point where resuming restrictions, testing, and tracing would be largely ineffective in bringing outbreaks under control." In the coming months, COVID could cause the deaths of more than one million people."

However, prior to easing restrictions on the "zero COVID" strategy, the World Health Organization stated on Wednesday that coronavirus cases were rising in China.

The highly transmissible Omicron variant has already affected catering and parcel delivery services in Beijing. In the 22-million-person city, funeral homes and crematoriums are also struggling to meet demand.

Posts on social media also showed empty subways in the northwest Chinese city of Xian, and internet users complained about delivery delays. Talking at a meeting in Beijing on Saturday, boss disease transmission specialist Wu of the Chinese Place for Infectious prevention and Counteraction said the ebb and flow episode would top this colder time of year and run in three waves for around 90 days, as per a state media report of his discourse.

The first wave would begin in the middle of December and last until the middle of January, mostly in cities. Then, in the following year, a second wave would begin in the latter half of January and last until the middle of February, sparked by the movement of people ahead of the weeklong New Year's holiday.

The Lunar New Year in China will begin on January 21. Hundreds of millions of people typically return home over the holiday to spend time with family.

This week, a research institute based in the United States said that China could see an increase in the number of cases and that more than a million people could die from COVID in 2023.

Wu stated that severe cases in China had decreased over the past few years and that vaccinations provided some degree of protection. He advised booster vaccinations for the general public and stated that vulnerable members of the community should be protected.

Delhi, India: As the new strain of the virus continues to spread throughout China, the Centre will examine the situation with Covid-19 in India today, December 21, 2022. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Rajiv Bahl, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog V K Paul, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) Chairman NL Arora, and other senior officials are expected to attend the crucial meeting, which will be presided over by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

India has 3,408 active coronavirus infections, with 131 new infections recorded today. As per the Association Wellbeing Service information, the nation has up until this point seen over 4.46 crore cases and around 5.30 lakh Coronavirus related passings.

Increasing positive sample genome sequencing: The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday urged all states and Union territories to increase the whole genome sequencing of positive samples in order to monitor the development of newer Covid-19 variants.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan stated in a letter to states and UTs that such an exercise will facilitate the implementation of necessary public health measures and enable timely detection of any newer variants circulating in the country.