Epidemic data defy alarmist claims

That there has been no surge in novel coronavirus infections and no new variant of the virus has appeared on the mainland before and during the Chinese New Year holiday as of Jan 23, according to the latest China CDC Weekly report, is welcome news.

Published by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday and based on data provided by all provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland from Dec 9 to Jan 23, the report says that the epidemic peaked in late December, and then continued to decline, with similar trends in all provincial-level regions and in both urban and rural areas.

That’s a positive development given the warnings of some that there would be a likely burst of infections in the rural areas as migrant workers returned to their hometowns to celebrate the festival. That prompted action plans to be drawn up to cope with the expected uptick in infections in villages.

Few of these plans, which essentially tilted more medical care resources to villages, have had to be implemented. But it is always better to err on the side of caution, and the process acts as a rehearsal for addressing any public health crisis that might emerge in the countryside in the future.

And although it can perhaps be attributed to probability, it is certainly good to see that no new variant of the virus has appeared, defying the predictions of some who claimed that the largest scale and most intensive population mobility in such a short period over the past three years would be a happy hunting ground for the virus, enabling it to mutate.

After a quick adaptation of the nation to the rise of infections after the latest adjustment to the prevention and control measures, the country is swiftly regaining its equilibrium by putting its socioeconomic activities back on track as evidenced by the robust growth in consumption and traveling over the holiday season.

Those China-bashing politicians in the United States who were prominent in making alarmist claims that China’s lifting of its strict virus control measures represented an immediate threat to global public health have been left to swallow their words.

The Spring Festival holiday has demonstrated the effectiveness of the country’s virus control policies, which have been repeatedly adjusted over the past three years in light of the actual epidemic situation in the country.

The latest CDC report is of great significance to the world, as it provides meaningful information for the World Health Organization as it continues to assess the pandemic situation. The world health body decided to maintain the global health emergency over the virus on Monday, and the country must still maintain a watchful eye on the epidemic situation to see how it develops.

Editorial, China Daily