China's COVID situation worsens; Europe, US report surge in Omicron cases

The COVID-19 pandemic has resurfaced on opposing parts of Eurasia after a hiatus, with both China and Europe reporting an increase in cases. China recorded 5,280 new cases on March 16, 2022, more than doubling the previous day's total. The rise in infections has been attributed to the stealth version of Omicron, BA.2. The northeastern region of Jilin is the epicentre of the new wave, with over 3,000 new cases reported. As a precaution, the Chinese government has placed nearly 30 million individuals under house arrest. At least 13 cities have conducted mass testing, flight curtailment, and stringent limitations.

The current wave is now being labelled as an outbreak that is worse than the one that started the pandemic in Wuhan in late 2019. China's streets are reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic when grocery stores were emptied as a result of hoarding and streets were unusually quiet.

COVID cases are rising in Europe, UK and US 

China's restrictions are expected to have an impact on global supply chains. However, it is not the only country that has had a new outbreak. COVID-19 cases have begun to rise in the United States and other European countries following a wave driven by Omicron. The European office of the World Health Organization issued a warning on March 16 about an increase in cases in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine.

Despite the potential of another impending wave, the western part of the continent has begun to loosen limitations. The reopening of public spaces has been announced in France, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. According to the website Our World in Data, nearly all of these countries, as well as the United Kingdom, have begun to see an increase in COVID-19 cases, which was preceded by an Omicron spike.

The rise of Omicron has caused Hong Kong and New Zealand, which were formerly fortresses, to bow. In both places, the number of cases has risen to historic heights. New Zealand, on the other hand, has handled the problem well, with the death rate remaining under control. However, sights in Hong Kong are eerily similar to those in India during the devastating second wave. Due to a lack of oxygen, insufficient beds, and an overworked crew, the healthcare system has collapsed.

The region presently has the greatest death rate per capita. Low vaccination rates among the elderly are one of the main reasons behind this, according to the media reports. Approximately 80.44% of those aged 70 to 79 years were fully immunised. For individuals above the age of 80, the figure drops to 55.29%.

After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting life like never before, many hoped the virus would become less terrible with each new variant. For Omicron, this was the case. It was substantially more infectious than the delta form before it, and it exhibits immunity-eluding properties. However, it does not result in a serious disease. Medical experts and researchers, on the other hand, had warned that the future would be unpredictable.

Image: AP