Taiwan faces its worst COVID outbreak with more than 11,000 new cases
2 years, 8 months ago

Taiwan faces its worst COVID outbreak with more than 11,000 new cases

LA Times  

Domestically, mask-wearing is universal both outdoors and indoors in Taiwan. Taiwan, which had been living mostly free of COVID-19, is facing its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic with over 11,000 new cases reported Thursday. In April, the island’s central authorities announced that they would no longer maintain a “zero-COVID” policy like the Chinese government’s in which they would centrally quarantine positive cases. Those who did not complete a full vaccination course are four times more likely to get moderate or severe symptoms compared to those those who have gotten a booster, said Ho Mei-Shang, a vaccine expert in Taiwan who has also worked for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Central News Agency. Still, officials urged the public to not panic, saying that Taiwan was better prepared with vaccines and ways to ensure moderate and severe cases would get prompt attention.

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History of this topic

Chinese hospitals ‘overwhelmed with sick children’ after surge in respiratory illness
1 year, 1 month ago

Chinese hospitals ‘overwhelmed with sick children’ after surge in respiratory illness

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy China insists it has not …

No ‘unusual’ virus behind rising Pneumonia cases China has clarified, reveals WHO
1 year, 1 month ago

No ‘unusual’ virus behind rising Pneumonia cases China has clarified, reveals WHO

Firstpost  

Since mid-October 2023, the World Health Organization has been monitoring data from Chinese surveillance systems showing an increase in respiratory illness in children in northern China China has reiterated that no unusual or new pathogens have been detected in the upsurge in child respiratory illnesses in the north, the WHO said on Thursday after putting pressure on Beijing for detailed …

On China pneumonia outbreak, scientists caution to not press ‘pandemic panic button’
1 year, 1 month ago

On China pneumonia outbreak, scientists caution to not press ‘pandemic panic button’

Hindustan Times  

Leading scientists urged caution over fears of another pandemic on Thursday after the World Health Organization requested more information from China on a rise of respiratory illnesses and pneumonia clusters among children. The standard wording of the alert echoed the first-ever notice about what would become COVID-19, sent on Dec. 30 2019: "Undiagnosed pneumonia - China." "I am not going …

China on ALERT over likely COVID-19 relapse ahead of winter
1 year, 1 month ago

China on ALERT over likely COVID-19 relapse ahead of winter

India TV News  

COVID-19 alert: Ahead of the winter season, an alert has been sounded across China about the relapse of COVID-19 infections and experts have asked elderly and vulnerable populations to get vaccinated. The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention showed that a total of 209 new severe COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths caused by COVID-19 were reported across the country …

China to remain alert even as WHO declares COVID-19 global emergency over
1 year, 8 months ago

China to remain alert even as WHO declares COVID-19 global emergency over

Firstpost  

A top Chinese health official said that despite the World Health Organisation ending the worldwide emergency designation for COVID-19, the virus is still dangerous and China will continue to monitor it while boosting vaccination rates among high-risk groups. According to Liang Wannian, head of China’s COVID-19 response expert group under the National Health Commission, the warning status being lifted by …

The resurgence of COVID-19 needs to be tackled scientifically
1 year, 10 months ago

The resurgence of COVID-19 needs to be tackled scientifically

China Daily  

A medical staff administers a second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine for a resident through nose at a temporary vaccination site in Haidian district, Beijing, capital of China, Dec 17, 2022. Data from Feb 16 shows that only 1.1 percent of people in China had tested positive after nucleic acid testing nationwide, down from 29.2 percent during the peak; visits …

As schools are set to resume face-to-face classes in Hong Kong, mainland Chinese students face adjustment problems
1 year, 11 months ago

As schools are set to resume face-to-face classes in Hong Kong, mainland Chinese students face adjustment problems

Firstpost  

Parents and teachers have called for a range of support services for children who may face adjustment problems New Delhi: Thousands of children who live in mainland China and attend Hong Kong schools will return to their campuses for the first time in three years, parents and teachers of students said. According to a report in the South China Morning …

Decoding China’s COVID-19 Policy U-Turn
1 year, 11 months ago

Decoding China’s COVID-19 Policy U-Turn

The Diplomat  

On November 30, several districts in the southern hub metropolis Guangzhou took the lead in lifting a large number of COVID-19-related lockdowns, as well as suspending testing requirements. In face of this, local and provincial administrations – in adherence to official party doctrine concerning “zero COVID” – turned to lockdowns and mass testing campaigns as desperate measures in tackling the …

China says critical COVID cases have peaked as holiday travel surges
1 year, 11 months ago

China says critical COVID cases have peaked as holiday travel surges

The Hindu  

The number of COVID patients needing critical care in China's hospitals has peaked, health authorities said on Thursday, as millions travelled across the country for long-awaited reunions with families, raising fears of fresh outbreaks. There has been widespread scepticism over China's official COVID data since it abruptly axed anti-virus controls last month that had shielded China's 1.4 billion people from …

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong will scrap its mandatory isolation rule for people infected with COVID-19 starting Jan. 30 as part of its strategy to return the semi-autonomous Chinese city to normalcy, the city’s leader said Thursday. For most of the pandemic over the last three years, Hong Kong has aligned itself with mainland China’s “zero COVID” strategy, requiring those …

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases

Firstpost  

For most of the pandemic, Hong Kong has aligned itself with China’s zero-COVID strategy, requiring those who tested positive to undergo quarantine. Many residents once had to be sent to hospitals or government-run quarantine facilities even when their symptoms were mild Hong Kong: Hong Kong will scrap its mandatory isolation rule for people infected with COVID-19 from 30 January as …

WHO appeals to China to release more COVID-19 information
1 year, 11 months ago

WHO appeals to China to release more COVID-19 information

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The World Health Organization has …

Six fallacies and truths about China's epidemic control
2 years ago

Six fallacies and truths about China's epidemic control

China Daily  

A community worker explains a COVID-19 prevention and care package to a resident in Yangfangdian Subdistrict of Haidian District in Beijing, Dec 27, 2022. China has also optimized the circulation of drugs, testing reagents and protective goods for better epidemic control. By the middle of December 2022, more than 3.47 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese …

In China, zero-COVID policy to zero COVID policies
2 years ago

In China, zero-COVID policy to zero COVID policies

The Hindu  

On December 20, almost two weeks since China’s sudden and unexpected scrapping of its stringent “zero-COVID” policy, the country officially reported a little over 3,000 COVID-19 cases. The Communist Party’s official People’s Daily, in the lead-up to the Congress, published three editorials on consecutive days, calling for “patience with current policies” and warning that “zero COVID must be adhered to”. …

China seeks to minimise possibility of major COVID-19 outbreak during travel rush
2 years ago

China seeks to minimise possibility of major COVID-19 outbreak during travel rush

Firstpost  

China abruptly ended a strict regime of lockdowns, quarantines and mass testing in December amid growing concerns about the economic impact and rare public protests in a country that permits no open political dissent Beijing: China is seeking to minimize the possibility of a major new COVID-19 outbreak during this month’s Lunar New Year travel rush following the end of …

WHO worried about COVID-19 surge in China amid lack of info
2 years ago

WHO worried about COVID-19 surge in China amid lack of info

LA Times  

Shoppers wearing masks visit a popular mall in Beijing on New Year’s Day. The head of the World Health Organization said this week that the agency is “concerned about the risk to life in China” amid the coronavirus’ explosive spread across the country and the lack of outbreak data from the Chinese government. Tedros said he understood why numerous countries …

WHO worried about surge of COVID in China amid lack of info
2 years ago

WHO worried about surge of COVID in China amid lack of info

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday the agency is “concerned about the risk to life in China” amid the coronavirus’ explosive spread across the country and the lack of outbreak data from the Chinese government. “The reality for China is that many countries they don’t have enough information to base their risk assessment,” he said. …

Beijing threatens response to ‘unacceptable’ virus measures
2 years ago

Beijing threatens response to ‘unacceptable’ virus measures

Associated Press  

BEIJING — The Chinese government sharply criticized COVID-19 testing requirements imposed on visitors from China and threatened countermeasures against countries involved, which include the U.S. and several European nations. “We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practices are even more unacceptable,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a …

70% of Chinese megacity infected with Covid, doctor says
2 years ago

70% of Chinese megacity infected with Covid, doctor says

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. WHO officials have met counterparts from China’s National Health …

Unreliable data, new variants? Here's why Covid outbreak in China is causing concern
2 years ago

Unreliable data, new variants? Here's why Covid outbreak in China is causing concern

India Today  

China, a nation of 1.4 billion, is reeling under a Covid outbreak, with some reports estimating 9,000 cases every day. Here's why it's sparking concern: UNRELIABLE DATA China has admitted the scale of the outbreak has become "impossible" to track following the end of mandatory mass testing last month. The global health body World Health Organisation has asked China for …

China's Xi Jinping has a plot to infect the world, spread new Covid-19 variant, warns Mike Pompeo
2 years ago

China's Xi Jinping has a plot to infect the world, spread new Covid-19 variant, warns Mike Pompeo

Firstpost  

Washington: Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned that Chinese President Xi Jinping has a plot to infect the world and spread a new Covid-19 variant. The former Trump official told radio host John Catsimatidis that Covid could rapidly spread across the globe because more Chinese residents are now free to travel after the Xi administration dropped its strict …

Chinese state media seek to reassure public over COVID-19
2 years ago

Chinese state media seek to reassure public over COVID-19

The Hindu  

Thousands of Chinese took to the streets to mark the New Year as authorities and state media sought to reassure the public that the COVID-19 outbreak sweeping across the country was under control and nearing its peak. The surge in cases has raised fresh worries about the health of the economy and in his first public comments since the change …

Lack of info on China's COVID-19 surge stirs global concern
2 years ago

Lack of info on China's COVID-19 surge stirs global concern

The Hindu  

Moves by several countries to mandate COVID-19 tests for passengers arriving from China reflect global concern that new variants could emerge in its ongoing explosive outbreak — and that the government may not inform the rest of the world quickly enough. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin noted Thursday that many countries have not changed their policies for travelers from …

US may restrict travel from China over lack of transparency about exploding rates of Covid cases
2 years ago

US may restrict travel from China over lack of transparency about exploding rates of Covid cases

Daily Mail  

The US fears China is hiding its true Covid case and death tallies from the public The policy change comes as cases and hospitalizations explode in Beijing Arrivals from China to the US will now be required to test negative for Covid The US will require all incoming travelers from China to submit proof of a negative Covid test before …

Hong Kong scraps vaccine pass, COVID-19 tests for travelers
2 years ago

Hong Kong scraps vaccine pass, COVID-19 tests for travelers

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Hong Kong will scrap some of its COVID-19 restrictions, including PCR tests for inbound travelers and vaccination requirements to enter certain venues, the city’s leader said Wednesday. For most of the pandemic, Hong Kong has aligned itself with China’s “zero-COVID” strategy, requiring stringent COVID-19 tests and isolation for close contacts of infected cases as well as for …

Japan marks record Covid deaths, Hong Kong, Taiwan's new rules: 8 points
2 years ago

Japan marks record Covid deaths, Hong Kong, Taiwan's new rules: 8 points

Hindustan Times  

Japan on Wednesday recorded 415 Covid deaths, the highest-ever count for a single day, health ministry data showed. Covid In Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan: A resident wears a mask as he stands near the shadow of a tree. Hong Kong said that it will end some of its last major Covid rules, scrapping limits on public gatherings. There will be …

Companies welcome end to China quarantines for visitors
2 years ago

Companies welcome end to China quarantines for visitors

LA Times  

China has ended COVID-19 curbs that confined millions of people to their homes, but hospitals have been flooded with patients. Companies welcomed China’s decision to end quarantines for travelers from abroad as an important step to revive slumping business activity while Japan on Tuesday announced restrictions on visitors from the country as infections surge. He said ending the quarantine “clears …

China to scrap COVID-19 quarantine for incoming passengers
2 years ago

China to scrap COVID-19 quarantine for incoming passengers

LA Times  

People coming to China will still need a negative virus test 48 hours before departure and will need to wear masks aboard planes, the country’s health commission said. China will drop a COVID-19 quarantine requirement for passengers arriving from abroad starting Jan. 8, the National Health Commission announced Monday in the latest easing of the country’s once-strict virus-control measures. People …

Explained | What is the threat from global COVID-19 rise?
2 years ago

Explained | What is the threat from global COVID-19 rise?

The Hindu  

The story so far: The Union Ministry of Health has issued a communique to States to resume genome sequencing of new cases of COVID-19, in view of the sudden spurt of cases in some parts of the world. In a letter, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said sequencing of positive case samples will allow the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium network …

‘Chinese city seeing half a million COVID cases a day’
2 years ago

‘Chinese city seeing half a million COVID cases a day’

The Hindu  

Half a million people in a single Chinese city are being infected with COVID-19 every day, a senior health official has said, in a rare and quickly censored acknowledgement that the country's wave of infections is not being reflected in official statistics. A news outlet operated by the ruling Communist Party in Qingdao on Friday reported the municipal health chief …

Nearly 250 million Covid-19 infections in China in just 20 days: Leaked doc
2 years ago

Nearly 250 million Covid-19 infections in China in just 20 days: Leaked doc

Live Mint  

Almost 250 million people in China may have been affected by Covid-19 in just 20 days after the 'zero-covid policy' was diluted in the first week of the month, according to radio Free Asia citing leaked government documents circulating on social media. In the 20-minute meeting of China's National Health Commission, as per the leaked document look like, 248 million …

One-day tally of COVID cases in China hits 37 million: Report
2 years ago

One-day tally of COVID cases in China hits 37 million: Report

Al Jazeera  

Nearly 37 million people in China may have been infected with COVID-19 on a single day this week, the Bloomberg news agency has reported, citing minutes from an internal meeting of the country’s National Health Commission held on Wednesday. Concerns over official statistics On Thursday, health data firm Airfinity estimated that there are likely more than 5,000 daily deaths and …

‘A very, very hard road ahead’: COVID cases spiral in China as restrictions ease
2 years ago

‘A very, very hard road ahead’: COVID cases spiral in China as restrictions ease

LA Times  

Nearly three years after it was first identified in China, the coronavirus is now spreading through the vast country. Nearly 11,000 people died of the illness this year in the city of 7.4 million, with 95% of them older than 60, according to Hong Kong’s department of health. A study conducted in Hong Kong, which has administered both an mRNA …

Covid-19 situation in China remains grim | Top 5 latest updates
2 years ago

Covid-19 situation in China remains grim | Top 5 latest updates

Hindustan Times  

As China is witnessing a massive surge in coronavirus infections, several hospitals in the country are reportedly struggling to cope with the influx of patients. On Wednesday, China reported 3,030 new symptomatic cases and 2,966 new local infections. Covid-19 situation in China remains grim | Top 5 latest updates Top updates on the Covid-19 situation in China: 1. China on …

Govt advises caution, masks; says don’t panic over Covid
2 years ago

Govt advises caution, masks; says don’t panic over Covid

Hindustan Times  

People should wear masks in crowded places and states must keep a closer watch on new Covid-19 cases, especially those that crop up in unusual clusters, top government officials said on Wednesday as the administration held a pandemic situation review in light of the spike in cases in several countries, particularly China. In the last week, the country reported a …

China says no new Covid deaths, but crematoriums ‘overwhelmed’ | Top points
2 years ago

China says no new Covid deaths, but crematoriums ‘overwhelmed’ | Top points

Hindustan Times  

While reports and social media posts claim that hospitals in China are struggling, pharmacy shelves have been stripped bare and many crematoriums are overwhelmed, China on Wednesday said “no one had died of Covid-19 the previous day”, after changing the criteria such that most virus deaths are no longer counted. Patients recover at a hospital in Zhuozhou city in northern …

WHO “very concerned” about reports of severe COVID in China
2 years ago

WHO “very concerned” about reports of severe COVID in China

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization said the agency is “very concerned” about rising reports of severe coronavirus disease across China after the country largely abandoned its “zero COVID” policy, warning that its lagging vaccination rate could result in large numbers of vulnerable people getting infected. At a press briefing on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus …

WHO chief ‘very concerned’ over COVID situation in China
2 years ago

WHO chief ‘very concerned’ over COVID situation in China

Al Jazeera  

China could be struggling to keep a tally of COVID-19 infections as the country experiences a big spike in cases, a senior World Health Organization official has said, amid concerns about a lack of data from the country. “In China, what’s been reported is relatively low numbers of cases in ICUs, but anecdotally ICUs are filling up,” WHO’s emergencies director …

Post Aggressive Lockdowns, China Lifts Up Restrictions
2 years ago

Post Aggressive Lockdowns, China Lifts Up Restrictions

The Quint  

China’s loosened COVID-19 policies – following years of aggressive lockdowns and quarantines – have left the country vulnerable The Chinese government has loosened restrictions designed to limit the spread of COVID-19. Kevin Frayer/Stringer via Getty Images After nearly three years of aiming to eliminate COVID-19 through mass lockdowns, robust contact tracing programs and international travel bans, the Chinese government has …

China reports first coronavirus deaths since easing zero-COVID policy
2 years ago

China reports first coronavirus deaths since easing zero-COVID policy

Firstpost  

Official case numbers are widely considered unreliable following the end of mandatory mass testing, while fears are mounting of a wave of infections in poor rural areas during the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays Beijing: China on Monday reported its first deaths from Covid-19 since loosening its hardline containment policy, as hospitals and crematoriums struggle with outbreak authorities say is …

China could see nearly a million deaths as it exits zero-Covid, study says
2 years ago

China could see nearly a million deaths as it exits zero-Covid, study says

CNN  

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Hong Kong CNN — China’s abrupt and under-prepared exit from zero-Covid could lead to nearly 1 million deaths, according to a new study, as the country braces …

Virus experts expect normalcy by spring
2 years ago

Virus experts expect normalcy by spring

China Daily  

Control measures optimized at right time amid increased preparedness China has optimized its COVID-19 response measures at the right time, amid the reduced fatality rate of the Omicron variant and the increased preparedness of the nation's healthcare system, experts said over the weekend. Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the rate …

A week into China’s easing, uncertainty over virus direction
2 years ago

A week into China’s easing, uncertainty over virus direction

Associated Press  

BEIJING — A week after China dramatically eased some of the world’s strictest COVID-19 containment measures, uncertainty remained Thursday over the direction of the pandemic in the world’s most populous nation. The government has asked to those with mild symptoms to recuperate at home, but if they don’t, that could lead to strains, Yale professor of public health Xi Chen …

A week into easing, uncertainty over China virus direction
2 years ago

A week into easing, uncertainty over China virus direction

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday said China’s …

In another big change, China says it won't report asymptomatic COVID cases
2 years ago

In another big change, China says it won't report asymptomatic COVID cases

Firstpost  

China last week announced its most significant easing yet of antivirus measures and has begun to see what appears to be a rapid increase in new infections Beijing: China said Wednesday it would stop reporting asymptomatic COVID-19 cases since they’ve become “impossible” to track with mass testing no longer required, another step in the country’s uncertain exit from some of …

China says ‘impossible’ to track COVID spread as virus surges
2 years ago

China says ‘impossible’ to track COVID spread as virus surges

Al Jazeera  

Top health body says true scale of infections in the country is ‘impossible’ to track amid decline in PCR testing. China’s National Health Commission has scaled down its daily COVID-19 report in response to a sharp decline in polymerase chain reaction testing since the government eased antivirus measures after daily cases hit record highs. A notice on the commission’s website …

Chinese struggle to ‘summon the courage’ to live with COVID-19
2 years ago

Chinese struggle to ‘summon the courage’ to live with COVID-19

Al Jazeera  

For three years, people in China have been told COVID-19 is deadly and it has made it difficult to cope with Beijing’s sudden move to rollback controls. Experts have been studying the effect of prolonged lockdowns on people’s mental health since COVID-19 first emerged in Wuhan three years ago and the city of 8.5 million was sealed off. The Lancet, …

China seeing ‘rapid spread’ of COVID-19, wave could last three months
2 years ago

China seeing ‘rapid spread’ of COVID-19, wave could last three months

The Hindu  

China’s current wave of COVID-19 cases, following the recent easing of pandemic restrictions, is seeing a “rapid surge” and the country can expect to see a return to normalcy only after the spring of next year, top epidemiologist and government advisor Zhong Nanshan told State media. Following Wednesday’s easing of pandemic restrictions, including a stop to mass testing, lockdowns and …

China government health adviser warns of surging COVID cases
2 years ago

China government health adviser warns of surging COVID cases

Al Jazeera  

Fears of a spike in infections after Beijing eased its ‘zero-COVID’ restrictions following rare nationwide protests. China faces a surge in COVID-19 cases after partially easing aspects of its so-called “zero-COVID” policy, a top government health adviser has said. The government made the changes – minimising the scope of mandatory testing, allowing some people who test positive to quarantine at …

Why China’s COVID figures don’t add up
2 years, 1 month ago

Why China’s COVID figures don’t add up

Al Jazeera  

China is reporting fewer COVID cases despite easing restrictions across the country. Since Beijing began to unwind its tough “zero-COVID” strategy following rare mass protests last month, health authorities have been reporting fewer infections each day. Under a broad easing of curbs announced by China’s National Health Commission this week, testing will be sharply scaled back and mostly confined to …

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