China’s stretched health system braces for peak in COVID-19 infections
2 years ago

China’s stretched health system braces for peak in COVID-19 infections

The Hindu  

Nearly 37 million people in China may have been infected with COVID-19 on a single day this week, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing estimates from the government’s top health authority. China is expecting a peak in COVID-19 infections within a week, a health official said, with authorities predicting extra strain on the country's health system even as they downplay the disease's severity and continue to report no new deaths. Zhang Wenhong, director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases, was quoted in Shanghai government-backed news outlet The Paper on Thursday as saying China "is expected to reach the peak of infections within a week." Infections in China are likely to be more than a million a day with deaths at more than 5,000 a day, a "stark contrast" from official data, British-based health data firm Airfinity said this week.

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History of this topic

COVID-19 infections not problematic, experts say
4 months, 1 week ago

COVID-19 infections not problematic, experts say

China Daily  

The number of people in China being infected with COVID-19 is fluctuating reasonably and won't be a burden on medical resources or the public, experts said. However, the National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases said the percentage of people catching flu and testing positive for COVID-19 rose from 8.9 percent in early July to 18.7 percent late last month. "COVID-19 …

China stands alone in its attitude towards the pandemic
10 months, 3 weeks ago

China stands alone in its attitude towards the pandemic

Hindustan Times  

The omicron variant of COVID-19 poses enormous challenges for governments. In America, cases are at three times their previous peak in January 2021, hospitals are as busy as they have ever been and deaths have risen by 40% in two weeks to 1,800 per day. Covid In China: Security guards wearing personal protective equipment amid the Covid-19 pandemic sit at …

China’s Population Decline Accelerated Last Year
11 months, 1 week ago

China’s Population Decline Accelerated Last Year

Live Mint  

China’s population decline accelerated last year, worsening a demographic gloom that has taken on increasing urgency for Beijing. China ended 2023 with 1.410 billion people, the National Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday, down from 1.412 billion in 2022, when it hit a historic turning point: the first year the population shrank since starvation years in the early 1960s. Another possible …

China’s Management of Covid-19 Crisis: A Case Study in Disinformation and Censorship - News18
11 months, 2 weeks ago

China’s Management of Covid-19 Crisis: A Case Study in Disinformation and Censorship - News18

News 18  

Censorship, surveillance, and authoritarianism have become synonyms with China in recent years. The court observed that had the government officials heeded to the warnings from the detained healthcare workers and adopted precautionary measures than taking punitive measures by labelling them as rumourmonger, “it would’ve meant we could better control the coronavirus today.” Dr Li contracted covid19 on January 8, 2020, …

China tries to ‘bury the memory’ and trauma of zero-COVID era
1 year ago

China tries to ‘bury the memory’ and trauma of zero-COVID era

Al Jazeera  

A year after Beijing abandoned the policy’s strict lockdowns and endless testing, its failures remain unaddressed. “Doctors and nurses were rushing around everywhere between long lines of patients waiting their turn, and people were even sitting on the floor and against the walls,” Ma, who is 36 and works as a sales representative in China’s northeastern Shandong province, told Al …

China detects seven cases of new Covid-19 subvariant JN.1. What are the symptoms?
1 year ago

China detects seven cases of new Covid-19 subvariant JN.1. What are the symptoms?

Hindustan Times  

China has detected seven infections of the Covid subvariant JN.1, news agency Reuters has reported, citing the country's national disease control and prevention administration on Friday. As of December 8, the public health agency of the United States projects that the variant JN.1 makes up between 15–29% of the total cases in the United States. National Indian Medical Association COVID …

Scientists see risk of lost opportunity for long COVID research in China
1 year ago

Scientists see risk of lost opportunity for long COVID research in China

The Hindu  

With more than a full year past since China eased restrictions and let COVID-19 sweep its households, scientists are worried a unique opportunity may be slipping away to study long COVID from possibly hundreds of millions of infections in that country. China's rare circumstances - relying on home-grown vaccines and mostly avoiding COVID until late in the pandemic - could, …

China's respiratory illness surge not as high as pre-pandemic, says WHO official
1 year ago

China's respiratory illness surge not as high as pre-pandemic, says WHO official

Firstpost  

According to Maria Van Kerkhove, acting director of the WHO’s department of epidemic and pandemic preparation and prevention, the increase seems to be caused by an increase in the number of children catching diseases that they have avoided for the past two years due to COVID limitations A World Health Organisation official has said that although there has been an …

‘Not by novel virus’: What China said on ‘mysterious pneumonia’
1 year ago

‘Not by novel virus’: What China said on ‘mysterious pneumonia’

Hindustan Times  

A pneumonia outbreak in China has alerted the world including the World Health Organization which sought more information about the situation from the country. Medical staff in protective suits treat a patient with pneumonia On Sunday, China's health ministry asked local authorities to increase the number of fever clinics amid the latest crisis. "Efforts should be made to increase the …

China's health ministry seeks more fever clinics amid pneumonia outbreak
1 year ago

China's health ministry seeks more fever clinics amid pneumonia outbreak

Hindustan Times  

China's health ministry on Sunday urged local authorities to increase the number of fever clinics as the country grapples with a surge in respiratory illnesses in its first full winter since easing COVID-19 restrictions. Medical staff in protective suits treat a patient with pneumonia The spike became a global issue last week when the World Health Organization asked China for …

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 …

Govt closely monitoring respiratory illness outbreak in China, risk to India low
1 year, 1 month ago

Govt closely monitoring respiratory illness outbreak in China, risk to India low

Hindustan Times  

The Union health ministry is closely monitoring the new outbreak reported in China resulting in respiratory illness among children. China has reported a spike in respiratory illness among children resulting in a massive surge in hospitalisation. The ministry took note of the media reports of a cluster outbreak of mysterious respiratory illness in children in northern China for which WHO …

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 …

China's pneumonia scare: Transparency please
1 year, 1 month ago

China's pneumonia scare: Transparency please

Live Mint  

China, where covid broke out in November 2019, is in the spotlight again. The World Health Organization has asked the country for details on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children. In a recent statement, the WHO noted an increase in influenza-like ailments compared to the same autumn of the past three years in China’s …

Spike in illnesses isn’t a new pathogen, China reassures WHO
1 year, 1 month ago

Spike in illnesses isn’t a new pathogen, China reassures WHO

Salon  

An outbreak of respiratory illnesses in China has sparked alarm, but the sudden rise in sickness is not related to a new virus, according to Chinese health authorities. So far, the data suggests that there’s nothing out of the ordinary, but both the WHO and China have been criticized in the past for not being entirely transparent about the COVID-19 …

WHO asks China to provide information on increase in respiratory illnesses, pneumonia
1 year, 1 month ago

WHO asks China to provide information on increase in respiratory illnesses, pneumonia

Op India  

The WHO has made an official request to China for detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children in the country. Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission at a press conference on November 13, reported an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases in China. Chinese authorities attributed this increase to the …

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 Sees Surge in ‘Unexplained’ Pneumonia Cases Among Children; WHO Seeks More Details
1 year, 1 month ago

China Sees Surge in ‘Unexplained’ Pneumonia Cases Among Children; WHO Seeks More Details

News 18  

Masks and social distancing have made a comeback in China due to a mysterious pneumonia outbreak. As the country experiences a strain on hospitals because of a sharp increase in cases of unexplained illness, especially among children, the World Health Organization issued a guidance on Wednesday. Earlier this week, ProMED, noted a growing number of media reports of clusters of …

WHO asks China for more information about rise in illnesses and pneumonia clusters
1 year, 1 month ago

WHO asks China for more information about rise in illnesses and pneumonia clusters

Associated Press  

GENEVA — Chinese officials say they did not detect any “unusual or novel diseases” in the country, the World Health Organization said Thursday, following an official request by the U.N. health agency for information about a potentially worrying spike in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children. WHO noted that authorities at China’s National Health Commission on Nov. 13 …

WHO asks China for more data on respiratory illnesses outbreak
1 year, 1 month ago

WHO asks China for more data on respiratory illnesses outbreak

The Hindu  

The World Health Organization has asked China for more data on respiratory illnesses spreading in the north of the country, but Beijing offered no public comment on Thursday. "WHO has made an official request to China for detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children," the UN health body said in a statement …

Mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China, WHO seeks details: 10 points
1 year, 1 month ago

Mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China, WHO seeks details: 10 points

Hindustan Times  

China has reported an outbreak of influenza-like illness mostly among children prompting the World Health Organization to seek more details from the country about the mysterious outbreak. Purported videos of China hospitals overflowing with patients suffering from mysterious pneumonia surfaced on X. ProMed, which is a publicly available surveillance system conducting global reporting of infectious disease outbreaks, issued an alert …

WHO asks China for more information on rise in cases of respiratory illness and pneumonia
1 year, 1 month ago

WHO asks China for more information on rise in cases of respiratory illness and pneumonia

LA Times  

Residents line up for mass COVID-19 testing in Beijing in May 2022. The United Nations health agency cited unspecified media reports and a global infectious disease monitoring service as reporting clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. The WHO noted that authorities at China’s National Health Commission on Nov. 13 reported an increase in respiratory diseases, which they …

What is the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China?
1 year, 1 month ago

What is the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China?

Al Jazeera  

The WHO has asked China for more information on the undiagnosed respiratory illness that has spiked since October 2023. As China experiences its first winter without strict COVID-19 restrictions since the outbreak of the pandemic three years ago, a wave of respiratory illnesses is sweeping across the country. On Wednesday, the WHO asked China to release information on the recent …

China says seasonal germs, rather than ‘unusual or novel pathogens,’ behind spike in pediatric respiratory illness, WHO says
1 year, 1 month ago

China says seasonal germs, rather than ‘unusual or novel pathogens,’ behind spike in pediatric respiratory illness, WHO says

CNN  

CNN — Chinese health authorities told the World Health Organization on Thursday that a spike in cases of children with pneumonia or respiratory illness in the northern part of the country stems from typical seasonal germs rather than any novel or unknown pathogen, the organization said. At Thursday’s teleconference, WHO said, the Chinese officials reported enhanced surveillance of respiratory illnesses …

Is COVID making a return to China this winter?
1 year, 1 month ago

Is COVID making a return to China this winter?

Firstpost  

China’s leading respiratory illness expert Zhong Nanshan has warned of a minor COVID-19 surge in the winter and urged the elderly and vulnerable populations to get vaccinated as soon as possible Concerned about an increase of COVID-19 infections in the current winter season, Chinese experts have issued an alert and advised vaccination for vulnerable and old groups. The Chinese Centre …

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’s chief epidemiologist who helped drive the anti-COVID fight dies at age 60
1 year, 1 month ago

China’s chief epidemiologist who helped drive the anti-COVID fight dies at age 60

Associated Press  

BANGKOK — Wu Zunyou, an epidemiologist who helped drive the country’s strict zero-COVID measures in China that suspended access to cities and confined millions to their homes, died on Friday. An announcement from China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention about Wu’s death gave no cause, but said that “rescue measures failed.” Wu’s health had been poor. Yet, as China …

WHO chief urges China for ‘full access’ to solve origins of COVID-19
1 year, 3 months ago

WHO chief urges China for ‘full access’ to solve origins of COVID-19

Op India  

The Chief of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged Beijing to grant ‘full access’ and offer more information on the origins of COVID-19, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. Tedros said, “We’re pressing China to give full access, and we are asking countries to raise it during their bilateral meetings — to cooperate. Speaking with Financial Times, …

China's Zhejiang provincial government deletes Covid-19 mortality data
1 year, 5 months ago

China's Zhejiang provincial government deletes Covid-19 mortality data

Op India  

China has reportedly deleted the mortality data of one of its most populated provinces, which included the Covid-19 death toll too. The data shed light on Zhejiang’s heavy death toll from Beijing’s relaxation of Covid-19 controls at the end of 2022. The World Health Organisation in January this year said that China’s Covid-19 data fails to provide an accurate picture …

China Omits Cremation Data to Hide True Pandemic Death Toll following Lifting of Covid Zero
1 year, 6 months ago

China Omits Cremation Data to Hide True Pandemic Death Toll following Lifting of Covid Zero

News 18  

A Chinese quarterly report on marriage and social welfare for the fourth quarter of 2022 dropped the section highlighting the number of cremations held last winter, indicating that it withheld a key indicator of the pandemic death toll when China faced its largest wave of Covid-19 cases. If the data were released, the quarterly or year-on-year comparison could be used …

Large-scale COVID reemergence 'unlikely' despite uptick in cases
1 year, 7 months ago

Large-scale COVID reemergence 'unlikely' despite uptick in cases

China Daily  

China Daily| Updated :2023-05-19 The risk of a new large-scale COVID-19 outbreak in China in the short term is minimal, despite a recent uptick in new infections, according to health experts. Wang Liping, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a group interview that the recent increase in new cases is unlikely to overwhelm …

We need China’s cooperation to understand covid: former WHO chief scientist
1 year, 7 months ago

We need China’s cooperation to understand covid: former WHO chief scientist

Live Mint  

Cooperation from China, including access to sites, data, blood samples, and animal farms in the country, is required to determine the origin of the covid-19 virus, according to former World Health Organization chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan. Swaminathan emphasized the need to address long covid symptoms, particularly among those with high-risk conditions such as hypertension. During every covid wave, when people …

China to remain alert even as WHO declares COVID-19 global emergency over
1 year, 7 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 …

China’s covid drugmakers' shares surge amid concern over new wave
1 year, 8 months ago

China’s covid drugmakers' shares surge amid concern over new wave

Hindustan Times  

Growing concerns that China may be facing a new Covid wave fueled a surge in shares of the nation’s drugmakers Monday as the public fretted over waning immunity. Read here: Indians among those evacuated by France from war-torn Sudan Xinxiang Tuoxin Pharmaceutical Co. jumped as much as 20% in Shenzhen, while Hybio Pharmaceutical Co. rallied 15%. Meanwhile, Zhang Wenhong, one …

Many Asian Nations Seeing Covid Rise, India, Singapore on List. Are Countries Planning Curbs?
1 year, 8 months ago

Many Asian Nations Seeing Covid Rise, India, Singapore on List. Are Countries Planning Curbs?

News 18  

A recent spike in Covid-19 cases is seen among Asian nations with the fresh wave exerting pressure on the healthcare systems. India, on the other hand, has touched daily cases of 10,000, the highest in nearly eight months, while Indonesia’s caseload is near a four-month high, Bloomberg reported. Medical experts have said the virus’ new XBB.1.16 variant could be driving …

'Until China shares all data on COVID origin, all hypotheses remained on table': WHO Chief
1 year, 8 months ago

'Until China shares all data on COVID origin, all hypotheses remained on table': WHO Chief

India TV News  

The World Health Organization chief has again insisted China share proper data on the origin of the COVID-19 virus and said until it shares relevant data, it remains a top mystery for the world. WHO chief urges China to share data "Without full access to the information that China has, all hypotheses are on the table. Further, he expressed grave …

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives
1 year, 9 months ago

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives

Associated Press  

BEIJING — When China suddenly scrapped onerous zero-COVID measures in December, the country wasn’t ready for a massive onslaught of cases, with hospitals turning away ambulances and crematoriums burning bodies around the clock. Chinese state media claimed the decision to open up was based on “scientific analysis and shrewd calculation,” and “by no means impulsive.” But in reality, China’s ruling …

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives
1 year, 9 months ago

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives

Associated Press  

BEIJING — When China suddenly scrapped onerous zero-COVID measures in December, the country wasn’t ready for a massive onslaught of cases. “It wasn’t a sound public health decision at all,” said a China CDC official, declining to be named to speak candidly on a sensitive matter. At a mid-April internal panel discussion recently made public by the Beijing-based Center for …

DC Edit | Covid isn't over, be cautious
1 year, 9 months ago

DC Edit | Covid isn't over, be cautious

Deccan Chronicle  

After lying low for quite some time, the Covid-19 virus has started rearing its head again in the country. The daily caseload which came down to two digits towards the end of the last year has of late been crossing 1,000; as per the health ministry data, India logged 1,300 new cases, the highest in 140 days, on Thursday while …

Beijing saw more deaths than births in 2022, fresh data reveals
1 year, 9 months ago

Beijing saw more deaths than births in 2022, fresh data reveals

Firstpost  

The decline, according to demographers, was consistent with national patterns and illustrated the economic and social factors that are driving China’s declining birthrate Beijing: Fresh demographic data released by the Chinese government has revealed that the population of the Chinese capital city has decreased for the first time in nearly 20 years. The Chinese city, which is home to over …

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives
1 year, 9 months ago

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives

LA Times  

An elderly patient uses a ventilator in the hallway of the emergency ward in Beijing in January. Chinese state media claimed the decision to open up was based on “scientific analysis and shrewd calculation,” and “by no means impulsive.” But in reality, China’s ruling Communist Party ignored repeated efforts by top medical experts to kick-start exit plans until it was …

WHO accuses China of withholding information on origin of COVID-19
1 year, 9 months ago

WHO accuses China of withholding information on origin of COVID-19

The Hindu  

The World Health Organisation has accused China of withholding information and data that may throw light on the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has asked why such information was not shared three years ago. GISAID is a global science initiative and primary source established in 2008 that provides open access to genomic data of influenza viruses and the coronavirus …

U.S. to relax COVID testing rules for travelers from China as early as Friday
1 year, 9 months ago

U.S. to relax COVID testing rules for travelers from China as early as Friday

LA Times  

The Biden administration is preparing to relax COVID-19 testing restrictions for travelers from China as soon as Friday, according to two people familiar with the decision. The restrictions were put in place Dec. 28 and took effect Jan. 5 amid the surge in China after the government sharply eased pandemic restrictions and as U.S. health officials expressed concerns that their …

China dismisses FBI statement on COVID-19 lab leak theory
1 year, 9 months ago

China dismisses FBI statement on COVID-19 lab leak theory

Firstpost  

Beijing: For the second day in a row, China on Wednesday dismissed U.S. suggestions that the COVID-19 pandemic may have been triggered by a virus that leaked from a Chinese laboratory. Responding to comments by FBI Director Christopher Wray, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the involvement of the U.S. intelligence community was evidence enough of the “politicization of origin …

It’s confirmed! China Lab leak triggered Covid pandemic, but was it an accident?
1 year, 9 months ago

It’s confirmed! China Lab leak triggered Covid pandemic, but was it an accident?

Live Mint  

The coronavirus pandemic most likely was caused by a leak in a Chinese laboratory, a classified intelligence report of the US Energy Department has revealed, according to the Wall Street Journal. This report nonetheless, affirms that the covid pandemic was a leak, an accident and not part of Chinese biological-weapons program, the people who have read the classified report said …

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 …

China says 200 million treated for COVID since November, pandemic ‘decisively’ beaten
1 year, 10 months ago

China says 200 million treated for COVID since November, pandemic ‘decisively’ beaten

LA Times  

Commuters during the morning rush hour in the central business district of Beijing on Thursday. China says more than 200 million of its citizens have been diagnosed and treated for COVID-19 since it lifted strict containment measures beginning in November. With 800,000 of the most critically ill patients having recovered, China has “decisively beaten” the pandemic, according to notes from …

No new Covid variants emerged during China's recent outbreak: Lancet study
1 year, 10 months ago

No new Covid variants emerged during China's recent outbreak: Lancet study

India TV News  

No new Covid-19 variants have emerged in China during the recent surge in infections since the country ended its zero-Covid policy, according to an analysis of cases in Beijing published in The Lancet. The study suggests two existing Omicron sub-variants, BA.5.2 and BF.7, among the most dominant variants in Beijing during 2022, accounted for more than 90 per cent of …

No new Covid variants during recent breakout in China: Lancet study
1 year, 10 months ago

No new Covid variants during recent breakout in China: Lancet study

India Today  

New coronavirus variants did not emerge during the recent outbreak of cases in China, said a study published in the medical journal, The Lancet. Samples of 350 locally acquired infections and 63 imported cases were studied during a five-week period beginning in November 2022 - shortly after China abruptly overturned its strict zero-Covid policy. Further, China also administers inactivated whole …

Beijing has hit ‘temporary herd immunity’, says Chinese health official
1 year, 10 months ago

Beijing has hit ‘temporary herd immunity’, says Chinese health official

Firstpost  

A torrent of cases cascaded through China since the Communist Party abruptly ended its zero-Covid policy last month. But there have been signs that the surge has started to tail off, with authorities saying last week that the number of daily Covid-19 deaths had fallen by nearly 80 percent in January Beijing: Beijing has reached “temporary herd immunity” and its …

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