Covid-19 cases declining across China, health authorities say

Visits to fever clinics ‘at low level’ in week from January 21 and down 40 per cent from previous seven days, according to NHC expert

But HKU virologist says it’s too early to reach a conclusion about the latest wave, and the full picture isn’t clear without the relevant data

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China has been on the move over the Lunar New Year holiday, with 226 million trips taken by train, road, air and water, according to official data. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:35pm, 30 Jan 2023

China’s latest wave of Covid-19 infections is on a steady decline across the country, health authorities said on Monday.

Fu Wei, a specialist with the National Health Commission, said the number of visits to rural and community health centres and clinics had fallen significantly.

She told a State Council press briefing that trips to fever clinics had been “at a low level” in the week from January 21. Fu said visits to the clinics were down by 40 per cent compared to the previous week, and down by 94 per cent from the peak recorded on December 23.

China has been grappling with a surge in cases since Beijing abruptly abandoned its zero-Covid policy in early December – scrapping pandemic controls including mass testing, centralised quarantine and lockdowns. The rapid spread of the virus and a sharp rise in Covid-related deaths have raised questions over whether the country was adequately prepared to reopen.

Over the weekend, health authorities also reported a sharp drop in Covid-related deaths among hospital patients over the Lunar New Year holiday, mirroring trends in hospitalisations and severe illness.

China recorded 6,364 Covid-related deaths from January 20 to 26 – about half the number in the previous week, according to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Other indicators suggest the country might have turned a corner in the current wave.

Millions of people have travelled over the Lunar New Year period – a total of 226 million trips were taken by train, road, air and water transport, according to official data.