Chinese Authorities Minimize Public Health Risk as New Variant Surges COVID-19 Infections
COVID-19 infections in China are on the rise again, as a new variant, EG.5, spreads rapidly throughout the country. This has raised concerns among the population due to the ruling communist party’s history of coverups and strict lockdown measures. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Aug. 19 that EG.5 has become the dominant strain in many provinces, citing its ability to evade immunity and reduce the effectiveness of antibodies from previous infections. EG.5, also known as Eris, is a sub-variant of the Omicron XBB.1.9.2 and has been detected in at least 52 countries since its initial discovery in Indonesia. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified EG.5 as a “variant of interest.” China’s CDC revealed that the proportion of EG.5 among circulating strains of the coronavirus grew from 0.6 percent in April to 71.6 percent in August. The variant has become the dominant strain in most provinces in China and is expected to continue spreading. Reports from various medical institutions in Shanghai show an increase in COVID-19 outpatients by 10 to 15 percent. Additionally, people from all over China have taken to social media to report the resurgence of COVID-19 and the rising number of infections. Despite this, the Chinese state agency denies the presence of another wave of outbreaks and states that the overall COVID-19 situation in China remains low. However, experts emphasize that the virus is highly contagious and constantly mutating, posing ongoing risks. The Chinese regime recently established the Beijing Major Respiratory Tract Infectious Disease Research Center to address respiratory diseases, although they have avoided mentioning COVID-19 or the SARS viruses as research priorities.
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