Recently, the positivity rate of COVID-19 tests in mainland China has once again shown an upward trend, surpassing 20%. Many doctors are warning that “COVID-19 has returned with a vengeance.” Some doctors have even bluntly stated, “Emergency rooms in hospitals are packed, there is no place to even lay on the floor.”
According to the national acute respiratory infectious disease surveillance data released by the official disease control department on July 30, from July 20 to July 26, the positivity rate of COVID-19 tests has been on the rise, generally at a medium level of spread, with the main prevalent strain still being the NB.1.8.1 variant lineage.
Flu-like respiratory samples from the emergency rooms of surveillance hospitals show that the top two pathogens with positive test results are the COVID-19 virus (20.3%) and influenza virus (14.5%). Among them, the positivity rate for COVID-19 infections is highest in the age groups of 0-4 years old, 15-59 years old, and 60 years old and above.
Data shows that within a short period of 3 weeks, the positivity rate of COVID-19 in emergency rooms has risen from 9.6% to 20.3%, doubling compared to the 27th week. Due to the Chinese Communist Party’s habit of concealing information, it is difficult for the outside world to obtain the actual epidemic data.
On August 1, a blogger named “Meis Medical” posted on NetEase, stating that a doctor in Liaoning province revealed that there has been a recent concentrated outbreak of COVID-19 and influenza cases in his department, leading to a sharp increase in the consumption of antiviral drugs.
On social media, netizens from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shanxi, Beijing, and other places have also posted, expressing that they or people around them have tested positive again or have been affected, with some even experiencing cases of whole family infections.
According to a report from the Henan TV station’s livelihood channel, on July 29, a 36-year-old man in Zhengzhou developed cold symptoms, toughed it out for 8 days, thinking it was just a common cold and fever, but on the 8th day, he suddenly collapsed on the dining table due to a sudden heart stop. After intensive treatment by doctors, he managed to survive, with the doctors diagnosing him with fulminant myocarditis and saving his life over a 20-day period.
On July 31, Chinese traditional medicine doctor Luo Yi posted on Weibo, stating that COVID-19 has resurged.
A doctor from Hunan province also mentioned that the COVID-19 virus has resurged, and everyone needs to take necessary precautions. The pharmacies are really out of medication, unable to dispense any more, leaving no choice but for patients to rest more.
On July 31, a doctor from Shandong province took to Weibo to express: “The hospital’s emergency room is bursting at the seams, there is no place to even lay on the floor, patients with light COVID-19 symptoms have been turned away, pneumonia cases are rushing in for injections, all that’s left are critical patients, there are no more beds, truly no more beds.”