Coronavirus: China stops counting asymptomatic cases as country moves to living with Covid

Name: Small businesses still struggling in Wuhan despite easing of Covid restrictions in China
Uploaded: 2022-12-14T09:00:35.000Z
Duration: 2 min 9 s
Description: Small businesses still struggling in Wuhan despite easing of Covid restrictions in China

Instead of general tracing, aim is to improve cluster reports for key places to keep watch for outbreaks and virus mutations, China CDC says

Health experts predict the coming month is critical, particularly for the elderly, as the country grapples with a surge in infections

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Health experts say the current wave of infections could peak in a month, but it may take longer for the situation to stabilise. Photo: Reuters

Hayley Wong

Published: 5:00pm, 14 Dec 2022

Chinese health authorities will stop reporting asymptomatic coronavirus cases – which account for most infections – from Wednesday, as many people without symptoms are no longer getting tested.

The country has been reporting Covid-19 infection data every day for almost three years. However, after a major policy shift last week, compulsory mass PCR testing has been dropped and testing by individuals discouraged.

Officials admitted there has been a discrepancy between actual and reported case numbers since the pandemic rules were relaxed.

“Except key groups and premises, people [now] get tested voluntarily. As the number of people receiving polymerase chain reaction tests reduced, the infection statistics reported by health organisations dropped accordingly,” said Li Qun, head of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s emergency operations centre.

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Small businesses still struggling in Wuhan despite easing of Covid restrictions in China

The country will step up surveillance in influenza monitoring networks at hospitals and instead of general coronavirus tracing it will improve cluster reports for key premises – such as homes for the elderly, schools and healthcare facilities – to keep watch for outbreaks and virus mutations, Li said.

China is undergoing an unprecedented wave of infections after allowing positive cases to isolate at home. Several top experts have projected that the wave will peak in a month but it may take longer for the situation to stabilise.