China: Covid-19 outbreak infected 80% of population, chances of coronavirus rebound unlikely

A top government scientist stated on Saturday that since 80% of the Chinese population has already been infected with Covid-19, a large resurgence of the virus in the next two or three months is very improbable. 

Chief epidemiologist of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention Wu Zunyou said on Weibo that a second Covid wave was unlikely in the near future, despite the fact that the pandemic may spread extensively and boost infections in a few locations owing to people's mass mobility during the country's current Lunar New Year vacation season.

Millions of Chinese individuals have been travelling for holiday reunions since the Covid-19 restrictions were recently removed, raising concerns about new outbreaks of the virus in the country's rural regions, which are not prepared to manage such a significant increase in illnesses.

A member of China's National Health Commission said on Thursday that the country has seen the worst of the coronavirus epidemic.

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Nearly a month after the Chinese government unexpectedly abandoned its zero-Covid policy, on January 12, 2019, official statistics showed that around 60,000 Covid-19 patients had died in hospitals.

Many patients died at home, and many physicians have admitted that they were discouraged from listing Covid-19 as the reason of death, thus the government's estimate may be low, according to these specialists.

(With inputs from agencies)