Positivity rate rises 4 percentage points in a week to 20.3%
Authorities call it 'mid-level periodic wave'
China's COVID-19 test positivity rate has climbed back above 20 percent, with authorities warning of heightened risks for the elderly and those with chronic conditions even as they described the uptick as a routine periodic wave.
China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention said the positivity rate had risen steadily, reaching 20.3 percent in the fourth week of July (July 20–26), according to Chinese outlet Guancha and other local media cited by Yonhap.
The figure means one in five respiratory samples taken from patients with influenza-like symptoms at outpatient clinics and emergency rooms nationwide tested positive for COVID-19.
Authorities said the rate rose 4 percentage points from the previous week but characterized the trend as a mid-level outbreak consistent with normal periodic fluctuations. They added that the pattern closely mirrors COVID-19 trends seen over the past two years.
Authorities also said that while most current infections are mild, older adults and those with underlying chronic conditions face a higher risk of developing severe illness and should take precautions.
Among circulating variants, the NB.1.8.1 lineage accounted for the highest share. Regionally, positivity rates in southern China were significantly higher than in the north, and the 15-to-59 age group recorded the highest rates by age bracket.
woo@heraldcorp.com
