COVID-19 cases have soared since China canceled their strict coronavirus policies. Just a few days ago, the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention revealed in a health briefing that an estimated 37 million people have been infected with the virus in a single day.
To make matters worse, the rate of Covid’s spread in China is still rising; this is especially true in larger areas such as Guangdong and Beijing. In fact, it’s estimated that over half of the population in Sichuan and Beijing are already infected with the virus.
Despite all the new cases, however, there have been no new deaths in the country, according to the National Health Commission. With that said, hospitals are already ‘overwhelmed’ as many people, mostly the elderly with Covid-19 and pneumonia symptoms, are arriving in ever-increasing numbers.
Just recently, the Beijing United Family Hospital announced that their ICU is full, in addition to the fever clinic as well as the emergency department.
This has led to concerns about a new coronavirus mutant as the chances of mutation increase every time the virus infects a new person. While the reported vaccination rates are high, not that many have received booster shots. As a matter of fact, many of the vaccines were given over a year ago, meaning that immunity has likely waned. Domestic vaccines have also proven to be less effective compared to the mRNA versions used in the West.
According to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, China plans on tracking the virus centers around three different hospitals in each area. Samples will then be collected from the sick, including those who die every week. They will also be putting together a national genetic database to monitor the evolution of the different strains in real-time as well as its implications for the public.
