Latest Covid-19 outbreak has peaked with 164 deaths, China CDC says
- Most severe cases and deaths were among the elderly population, according to health authorities
- More than 90 per cent of deaths were caused by underlying conditions combined with Covid
Most serious illness and deaths were among the elderly population, the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report on the Covid-19 situation in China published on Sunday.
It said the average age of those who died was 79.3, and more than 90 per cent of those deaths were caused by underlying conditions combined with Covid.
Some 83,150 people died from Covid-related illness from mid-December to early February, according to previous China CDC reports.
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In the report, the China CDC said its data showed infections had been sporadic and localised from February to early April. The numbers began to rise in late April then slowed down in late May.
The number of fever clinic visits, severe cases and deaths increased in May from April but they were “far lower” than during the peak of the winter outbreak.
During the current wave, patients visiting fever clinics nationwide peaked at 360,000 on May 18 – double the number on May 1. It had fallen to 290,000 by the end of May.
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That compares to the peak of 2.86 million fever clinic visits in December during the massive winter surge after Beijing ended zero-Covid restrictions.
The China CDC said the positive test rate among people with flu symptoms went from 8.8 per cent to 40 per cent in three weeks last month, rising to 42 per cent at the end of May.
It said 92 per cent of infections in the latest wave were caused by the Omicron variant XBB.
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Li Tongzeng, chief doctor with Beijing Youan Hospital’s respiratory and infectious diseases department, said earlier that the health system could handle the outbreak.
“The treatment capacity is far better than during the peak infection period at the beginning of this year,” Li told Shanghai news website The Paper on May 24.
He said that although cases were rising at the time, they were mainly being seen at fever clinics and handled by the medical staff there.
