A rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in 2019 in China was not initially viewed with urgency. However, as the number of cases is rising this time, there is a flurry of information and maximum precaution is being taken in order to make sure that the mistakes of last time are not repeated. Vaccination has been made a must in different countries and it has been stated quite clearly that the pandemic might not spread to large extents in case proper precautions are taken in the very first few months. The increase in cases in China is indeed worrying. The nation has put a stop to all kinds of news and publications regarding this matter in order to avoid the spread of panic. Here are some bits of information that have been collected till now along with some measures to stop the pandemic from spreading.
New Cases Recorded
On the 23rd of December 2022, China recorded 3,761 new cases. 65 of these cases were imported whereas the other cases were found within the mainland of China itself. This is quite concerning as the Omicron variant seems to attack those who have been vaccinated.
This has been a matter of concern because the total number of cases is rising quite rapidly in China and none of the steps taken by the government are helping to reduce the extent. In fact, the five-day centralized quarantine period which had been mentioned for flight passengers has been reduced to 2 days. This was done after seeing changes in the nucleic acid test.
Changes In The Tests
The changes that are made in the tests are solely administered in order to reduce the workload of the medical staff. It has been found that if the nucleic acid test was negative after two days of centralized quarantine, the person can be declared safe and allowed to leave the quarantine space. On the other hand, the length of the quarantine period is varying for each passenger which has bothered several flight members.
The staff who were monitoring the situation at the hotels and airports have informed us that these changes are induced for passengers who have a high risk of getting the infection. The others are treated with caution but within limited standards so that their regular work is not interrupted.
State Of Business in China
China has already devised a method in which regular citizens will learn to live with the coronavirus. This is one of the most effective strategies because the disease doesn’t look like it is going to disappear from the face of the earth. There had been several disruptions in the supply chain systems during the last pandemic that had broken down the foundation of most businesses in China. The preparation for the impending disruption is one of the major areas on which the Chinese government is focusing at the moment.
The government is trying to provide practical solutions that would help to bring changes rather than sugar-coating the matter of increasing cases in every district of China. The lifting of restrictions on different businesses in China is already induced minimal damage is experienced. This would help to save the economic backbone of the nation despite the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
The District of Zhejiang
Shanghai is one of the biggest hubs of China. This area contains a large population and was one of the prime areas to be affected when there was an outburst of cases. This time, in the district of Zhejiang, a large industrial district of China near Shanghai, there are about 1 million cases are reported every day.
This was informed by the provincial government on 25th December and has led to a higher concern among the authorities. Unless the matter in this district is contained with immediate effects, this might lead to further deterioration of the district’s condition in terms of health and employment alike.
Population of Zhejiang
The entire population of the Zhejiang district is about 65.4 million. The district provincials have informed that among the 13,583 infected people, only one patient has to be treated in the hospital of the province. The rest deteriorating conditions are caused mostly due to attack of the coronavirus and some underlying diseases as well.
This proves that the absence of comorbid factors may reduce the chance of infection to a major extent. The underlying diseases are narrowed down to define the state of the pandemic in China. This has been quite helpful for the medical and administrative staff.
Number of Deaths In China
Despite the fact that so many cases are increasing every day in China, the government has not disclosed a single news of death as a result of the COVID-19 infection. Both citizens and experts have asked for information from the government about the real state of affairs. It is almost impossible to believe that there have been no deaths despite such a rise in the number of cases.
It can also be considered as a tiny ray of hope that probably the Omicron variant is not deadly or fatal. It will be for the best if the government provides news as soon as possible because the citizens are already tired of the relentless lockdowns and the continuously crumbling economy as a result of this breakdown.
Conclusion
The increasing number of cases in China is indeed a matter of concern but this should not be brought as an excuse for administering a complete lockdown again. It has been observed in the past that the effect of lockdowns is quite long-lasting and it tends to harm the common citizens for a longer amount of time. The effect of lockdown seems to harm people in terms of health, employment, and education, all at once. This must be avoided at all costs. The world should never shut down the areas of need just in a desperate effort to control the spread of infection.