China's Shanghai to see 'tsunami' of COVID cases & outbreak to last longer, warn experts

China is facing its worst-ever pandemic wave at a time when world is slowly overcoming COVID-19. infection rate in China has alrey peaked, including in its capital city, and now cases are expected to surge in Shanghai in a week and in regions with a higher number of residents, reported SCMP, citing health specialists.

It has come to light that country is likely to witness a "tsunami" of infections sweeping across big cities that can last for months before situation normalises. experts have suggested that coronavirus cases might go up in a week but outbreak would "stay longer."

China's COVID outbreak to stay 'longer'? 

"I think infections in Shanghai will peak in a week, and after peak, outbreak will continue for one to two more months," said director of infectious diseases department at Fudan University's Huashan Hospital.

situation in China has worsened after authorities scrapped ir zero-COVID policy, owing to which citizens are no longer required to follow stringent protocols that include mandatory swab tests and quarterly checks, making it difficult for health authorities to know real infection rate. However, a leaked video clip from a National Health Commission meeting held on Wednesday revealed that China reported nearly 37 million COVID cases in a single day on Tuesday.

information from leaked video has now gone viral, and several media outlets have reported that condition in China would grow even "more serious" in coming weeks if government failed to take appropriate actions. leaked video contained details that revealed that around 248 million people around China were infected from December 1 to 20, making up around 17.56% of country's total population. meeting also discussed how half of people in Beijing and Sichuan Province h been infected.

Meanwhile, chair professor of epidemiology and he of epidemiology and biostatistics at University of Hong Kong’s school of public health, Ben Cowling, stated that some cities, including Beijing, might have alrey witnessed peak, and now outbreak is slowly coming down. "I think nationwide peak in infections will be in early January. Some cities like Beijing may alrey have passed ir peak," he said.

Furrmore, an expert at Peking University First Hospital told media news portal Yixuejie that infection rate might come down after Chinese New Year that is observed in late January. "We probably have to wait until February or March before things return to normal," he was quoted as saying.

China reports multiple Omicron-variants 

report published on SCMP underscored fact that China is experiencing multiple Omicron variants. Variant BF.7, which is short for BA.5.2.1.7, and BA.5.2, are responsible for current surge in China. It is to mention that BF.7 is highly transmissible variant responsible for surge in Beijing, according to scientists. Last year, China witnessed 5 to 6 variants of Delta.

Image: AP