China Withdraws 'Zero-COVID' Policy, Stops Reporting 'Asymptomatic Cases'... Concerns Over Resurgence Grow

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The Chinese government has decided to stop announcing the number of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. As China relaxes its 'Zero COVID' policy and effectively transitions to a with-COVID approach, concerns about a resurgence of COVID-19 within the country are growing.

According to the Global Times on the 14th, the National Health Commission (NHC) stated on its website, "Many asymptomatic infected individuals are not undergoing PCR testing, making it impossible to accurately determine the actual number of asymptomatic cases," and announced, "From today onward, the number of asymptomatic infections will no longer be disclosed."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The NHC released the new infection statistics for the 13th on its website, reporting a total of 2,249 new daily infections without distinguishing between asymptomatic and symptomatic cases. Until the previous day, the numbers for symptomatic and asymptomatic cases had been announced separately, but from this day forward, they are combined.

Earlier, on the 7th, the Chinese government announced a relaxation measure that abolished routine mass PCR testing. As a result, only those who wish to be tested can receive PCR tests in China.

The concern lies in the possibility of a COVID-19 resurgence. Following the announcement of China's easing of prevention measures, Western experts expressed worries that COVID-19 could spread again within China. They feared that a resurgence in China could lead to the emergence of new variants or cause COVID-19 to spread globally once more.

In fact, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the same day that medical staff in Beijing have been infected one after another, putting significant pressure on local hospitals. Due to this, some hospitals have canceled non-emergency surgeries. The SCMP added, "Hospitals are pressuring doctors and staff infected with COVID-19 to continue treating patients due to a shortage of medical personnel."

The day before, Sun Chunlan, the deputy premier and the operational commander of China's COVID-19 response, acknowledged that the number of infections in Beijing is rapidly increasing, contrary to the government's official announcements. According to Xinhua News Agency, Deputy Premier Sun stated, "Currently, the number of new infections in Beijing is in a phase of rapid increase," and emphasized, "The focus of work should shift from infection prevention and control measures to medical relief."