Virus returns to the top of the list of respiratory pathogens circulating in the country and the government tries to reassure the population
A resurgence of Covid-19 has returned the virus to the top of the list of circulating respiratory pathogens in China, although health authorities classify the current wave as a moderate epidemic and are urging the population not to panic.
In the week of July 13-19, the Covid-19 positivity rate in sentinel hospitals across China rose to 16.3%, an increase of 4.3 percentage points from the previous week, according to the China CDC (Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention), with the highest positivity rates recorded among people aged 15 to 59.
This increase means that Covid-19 has overtaken flu as the most prevalent respiratory illness, with southern provinces reporting higher infection rates than northern provinces.
Chang Zhaorui, a researcher at China CDC, said the virus maintained a low level of activity for more than 8 months starting in October 2025, before infections began to rise in late May.
“Covid-19 has evolved into a common respiratory infectious disease, and there is no need for excessive concern about normal epidemiological fluctuations”Chang said at a press conference earlier this month.
The dominant strain driving the current wave is the NB.1.8.1 subvariant, a descendant of the Ômicron family. Health authorities have not detected any new variants that pose an additional threat to public health.
NB.1.8.1, which evolved from the recombinant variant
Symptoms associated with NB.1.8.1 are largely mild or asymptomatic, resembling those of the flu, with manifestations such as fever, dry and sore throat and cough.
The WHO assesses the variant’s overall public health risk as low, noting that existing vaccines remain effective in preventing serious disease.
Despite generally mild symptoms, the virus remains dangerous for vulnerable populations. Zhu Xuan, associate professor at the University of Hong Kong’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, has previously warned that immunocompromised individuals and other high-risk groups still face the threat of serious illness or death.
The increase reflects trends elsewhere in the region. In Hong Kong, Covid-19 activity has been growing since June, reaching a one-year high this month.
The Hong Kong Health Protection Center recorded 45 serious cases in adults, including 7 deaths, as well as 2 serious cases in children, during a 4-week period ending in mid-July.
Almost all serious cases and deaths involved people aged 65 and over who had not received a booster dose of the vaccine in the last 6 months.
In Taiwan, infections have increased for 6 consecutive weeks. Disease control authorities project the current wave will peak in mid- or late August, with weekly doctor visits potentially surpassing 50,000.
Rising demand for vaccines has led to supply shortages at some clinics in Taipei, prompting Taiwan’s disease control agency to send an additional 6,000 vaccine doses to the city.
This report was originally published in English by Caixin Global on July 28, 2026. It was translated and republished by Poder360 under mutual content sharing agreement.
Source: https://www.poder360.com.br/poder-china/casos-de-covid-19-voltam-a-crescer-na-china-em-julho/
