"Mid-Month Expectation of Zero New COVID-19 Cases Except Hubei Province, China"

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] There is growing optimism that the number of new confirmed cases outside Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, will reach zero by mid-month.

On the 5th (local time), Zhang Baili, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said in an interview with the People's Daily, "We analyzed the infection trends. Since the end of February, the number of new confirmed cases outside Wuhan in Hubei Province has almost disappeared," adding, "I expect that by mid-March, there will be no new confirmed cases outside Wuhan in Hubei Province."

He expressed optimism, saying, "Outside Wuhan, people will be able to live without masks in April," and "I hope that by the end of March, no new confirmed cases will appear even in Wuhan."

However, he cautioned, "Given the current infectious disease situation, this expectation is possible but not absolute," explaining, "Occasionally, a few new patients may emerge. Cases of 'reverse importation' from overseas may still remain."

In fact, in China, except for Wuhan in Hubei Province, the number of new confirmed cases has noticeably decreased.

According to the announcement by the National Health Commission of China (NHC) on the 6th, the number of newly added COVID-19 confirmed patients on the 5th was 143, with most?126 cases?coming from Wuhan, Hubei Province. The number of overseas 'reverse importation' cases is steadily increasing. On the 5th alone, 16 new overseas reverse importation confirmed cases were reported in Gansu Province (11), Beijing (4), and Shanghai (1), bringing the total number of overseas reverse importation confirmed cases reported so far to 36.