COVID-19's Newest Strain Wreaking Havoc in China
In the early days of the now three-year long COVID-19 pandemic, information regarding the severity of the outbreak was difficult to navigate and understand, especially as it was often inaccurately recorded. Now, knowing more about the virus itself and having years experience with covid precautions, news is easier to interpret. However, with the Omicron strain, XBB 1.5, emerging in China, health officials around the world are again facing the same difficulties interpreting what little information has been leaked by the Chinese government.
From what information has been released by reporters in Hong Kong and at the World Health Organization, it is clear that XBB 1.5 is significantly more transmissible than previous strains, but seemingly less deadly in some countries. In the United States alone, the new strain spiked from accounting for 4% to 40% of total cases within weeks of its appearance. However, the experience of the U.S. and China with the new strain has differed dramatically. Where the U.S. has experienced a decline in death rates but increased transmission rates, China is projected to see a substantial increase in both infection rates and death rates. The severity of the new outbreak in China has been exemplified through the overcrowded hospitals, medication shortages, and overloaded crematories. These developments are largely due to the Chinese government’s abandonment of their zero-Covid policy in early December. The zero-Covid policy involved strict control over the spread with mandated quarantining, vaccination, and countrywide lockdowns. Now, without these strict precautions, the new strain is sweeping through the vast portion of the Chinese population with little immunity to previous strains.
A lack of reliable information from the Chinese government has created difficulty in discerning reliable reports from inaccuracies. Based on the little information collected from Chinese reports, predictions from health officials in the United States and Britain suggest that the death rate in China may skyrocket to levels not seen prior to this recent outbreak. As of December 20th, the virus infected nearly 250 million Chinese citizens, and the projected death rate is 500,000 to 1.7 million by the end of January. However, these predictions rely on a continuation of current Covid precautions, which could be improved if the Chinese government chooses to re-implement stricter policies. Possible solutions to the increasing transmission and death rates could be to mandate testing, the use of masks, vaccinations, and possibly to reinstate previous lockdown policies. Though information regarding the situation in China is somewhat inconsistent, it is clear that further precautions should be taken in order to prevent the serious outbreak they are experiencing.
By Celia Hughes