Rise in COVID-19 rate under control

The number of COVID-19 infections in China has been steadily rising since early April, but the overall spread of acute respiratory infectious diseases remains low and under control, according to official data and health experts.

Data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention show that the COVID-19 positivity rate among influenza-like illnesses at hospitals rose from 7.5 percent in the seven-day period beginning March 31 to 16.2 percent during the seven-day period beginning April 27. COVID-19 has now surpassed rhinovirus to become the most prevalent respiratory virus in circulation.

"The COVID-19 positivity rate is trending upward this month, with higher rates in southern provinces compared with those in the north. But the growth in some provinces has begun to slow," the agency said in a disease surveillance report released last week.

The spread of rhinovirus has plateaued and is fluctuating mildly, mainly affecting children age 14 and younger, the report said.

Meanwhile, positivity rates for parainfluenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus are trending downward but remain high among children age 4 and younger.

Beijing's Chaoyang district CDC said that although COVID-19 activity is rising, the current number of infections has not surpassed the peak registered last year. The dominant strain is the NB.1 variant, which shows no significant differences in pathology compared with previous strains.

Cai Weiping, chief expert at the infectious disease center of Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital affiliated with Guangzhou Medical University, said the number of visits to fever clinics has remained stable in recent weeks, but the proportion of patients testing positive for COVID-19 has increased.

"The last small peak of COVID-19 occurred around July to August of last year, and 10 months have passed," he told People's Daily. "With waning antibody levels in the population, the current minor surge is normal."

He added that no major changes have been seen in symptoms during this wave, with very few severe cases requiring hospitalization.

Cai said there is no need to worry about periodic resurgences of COVID-19, but recommended that high-risk groups take appropriate preventive measures.