China on alert for COVID relapse

Beijing: Chinese experts have sounded an alert about the relapse of COVID-19 infections during the current winter season and asked elderly and vulnerable populations to get vaccinated.

The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese CDC) shows that a total of 209 new severe COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths caused by COVID-19 were reported across the country in October, with the prevalent strains all being XBB variants, official media reported on Monday.

China’s top respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan warned of a small COVID-19 spike in the winter and reminded the elderly and vulnerable populations to get vaccinated as soon as possible, state-run Global Times reported.

The virus is undergoing mutations, while the general population’s ability to fight off the disease is declining because their antibody levels are lowering as time passes, Lu Hongzhou, head of the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, told the Daily.

According to Lu, there may be a rise in COVID-19 cases during the winter seasons. Also, autumn and winter are known for high influenza rates, so people should also be cautious of potential co-infections, according to Lu.

While it is still necessary to continue implementing prevention and control measures in the winter season, there is no need to be overly concerned about

it, said Lu. The coronavirus which first emerged in Wuhan towards the end of 2019 had spiralled into a massive pandemic in which millions of people died all over the world while it affected the health of millions more. China steadfastly denied the allegations that the virus that shook the world was leaked from a bio-lab in Wuhan.