Genome sequencing of COVID-19 cases in China throughout the month of December have monitored the Covid variants in play. Contrary to the rumors of a resurgence of Delta or of the original Wuhan strain, or even the birth of a new previously-unidentified variant, the first 1,142 cases show nothing but sub-variants of Omicron.
Xu Wenbo, the director of the Institute of Viral Diseases at China’s CDC, explained that over 80% of the cases were of two sub-variants, BA.5.2 and B.7, as being at the surge of the infection in China. Otherwise, there are 7 other sub-variants of Omicron accounting for remaining less than 20%.
When Western allegations of mismanagement and uncontrolled breakout of Covid were brought up at the press conference of China’s Foreign Ministry on Dec. 28, spokesman Wang Wenbin denounced the “distorted” reports and called for greater attention to be paid to what China has actually been doing with their switch to an “optimized” COVID-19 response. As reported by CGTN, Wang said the so-called reports are full of biased hype and are driven by political calculations, which neither stand up to the examination of facts nor conform to the truth.
Quoting CGTN, “Wang noted that since the pandemic began, the Chinese government has put the people and their lives first. It has mobilized all resources and made every effort to protect people’s life and health, managing to contain rounds of outbreaks and tiding over the most difficult period where the virus runs rampant.” Of particular note, Wang “said China has the lowest rate of COVID-19 serious illness and death compared with other countries, and its average life expectancy, a basic measure of national well-being, increased from 77.3 years in 2019 to 78.2 years in 2021.” This stands in stark contrast to the collapse in average life expectancy in the U.S. over the 2020-21 period. (https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202212/t20221228_10997479.html )
While the surge in Beijing seems to have passed, and the one in Shanghai is just now peaking, and China seems to have made proper precautions to handle the difficulties, China is now preparing for the new challenge of the Chinese New Year in three weeks. Many workers in large cities are expected to travel to see their families in rural areas. China has to mobilize personnel, medical facilities, etc., to beef up the undermanned medical capabilities in those areas.
Otherwise, the Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Wang Jianping reported yesterday that their December mobilization to produce ibuprofen and acetaminophen—antipyretic/analgesic drugs—had quadrupled the daily production of tablets. Cumulatively, about 2.48 billion tablets were produced, as of several days ago.
