sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
COVID-19 has overtaken influenza as the leading cause of COVID-19 transmission in China, with the domestic epidemic reaching a medium-level epidemic. Experts say the public need not panic; the new variant has not increased virulence, only stronger infectivity.
2026-07-27 07:30
For the monitoring situation in week 29, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided detailed data: among the top three pathogens with the highest positive rates of respiratory samples from influenza-like illnesses in sentinel hospitals nationwide, COVID-19 has replaced influenza virus as the top pathogen, with a positive rate of 16.3%, an increase of 4.3 percentage points compared to the previous week; while the positive rate of influenza was 12.6%, a decrease of 0.9 percentage points compared to the previous week.
"The epidemic patterns of COVID-19 and influenza viruses seem increasingly unpredictable, but they can actually be explained." On July 25, Peng Jie, deputy director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, told reporters that respiratory infectious diseases are often said to be more prevalent in winter and spring, mainly because doors and windows are closed and ventilation is poor in winter. However, in the current summer heat, people are staying in air-conditioned rooms for long periods of time, which also creates a closed transmission environment. The conditions for virus transmission are similar to those in winter, leading to an increase in COVID-19 and influenza infections.
According to Peng Jie, the public need not panic about the COVID-19 pandemic turning into a medium-level epidemic. On the one hand, from a clinical perspective, the rate of severe cases and the mortality rate of COVID-19 have not increased simultaneously. This means that although the COVID-19 virus continues to mutate, the virulence of the new variants has not increased; they are simply more infectious.
Weekly trend of positive rate of respiratory sample nucleic acid test for pathogens in hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection cases at sentinel hospitals △[/COLOR]
On the other hand, although the positive rate of nucleic acid testing has increased compared to the previous period, the current value is significantly lower than the peak in 2025 and does not meet the criteria for a pandemic. It is a normalized, dynamic small peak.
In reality, as the protective immunity from previous infections and vaccines gradually fades over time, the number of people susceptible to COVID-19 continues to increase, providing a basis for the virus to continue spreading. Peng Jie stated that, based on recent trends, the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic cycle is expected to lengthen significantly by 2025, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2026 may still continue the characteristics of "uninterrupted cases and sporadic outbreaks," with the duration of the pandemic potentially extending further. The public needs to view this scientifically and take effective COVID-19 medications as soon as possible after diagnosis.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that the epidemic situation of respiratory infectious diseases in China has fluctuated recently, with influenza viruses, rhinoviruses, enteroviruses, parainfluenza viruses, human metapneumoviruses, and the novel coronavirus showing a certain level of activity. To prevent the spread of respiratory infectious diseases, [COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9)]the public is advised to take personal protective measures such as wearing masks properly, advocating a healthy lifestyle, maintaining good hygiene habits, and actively getting vaccinated.
zhttps://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1871823181048625633&wfr=spider&for=pc
2026-07-27 07:30
foc
For the monitoring situation in week 29, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided detailed data: among the top three pathogens with the highest positive rates of respiratory samples from influenza-like illnesses in sentinel hospitals nationwide, COVID-19 has replaced influenza virus as the top pathogen, with a positive rate of 16.3%, an increase of 4.3 percentage points compared to the previous week; while the positive rate of influenza was 12.6%, a decrease of 0.9 percentage points compared to the previous week.
"The epidemic patterns of COVID-19 and influenza viruses seem increasingly unpredictable, but they can actually be explained." On July 25, Peng Jie, deputy director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, told reporters that respiratory infectious diseases are often said to be more prevalent in winter and spring, mainly because doors and windows are closed and ventilation is poor in winter. However, in the current summer heat, people are staying in air-conditioned rooms for long periods of time, which also creates a closed transmission environment. The conditions for virus transmission are similar to those in winter, leading to an increase in COVID-19 and influenza infections.
According to Peng Jie, the public need not panic about the COVID-19 pandemic turning into a medium-level epidemic. On the one hand, from a clinical perspective, the rate of severe cases and the mortality rate of COVID-19 have not increased simultaneously. This means that although the COVID-19 virus continues to mutate, the virulence of the new variants has not increased; they are simply more infectious.
Weekly trend of positive rate of respiratory sample nucleic acid test for pathogens in hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection cases at sentinel hospitals △[/COLOR]
On the other hand, although the positive rate of nucleic acid testing has increased compared to the previous period, the current value is significantly lower than the peak in 2025 and does not meet the criteria for a pandemic. It is a normalized, dynamic small peak.
In reality, as the protective immunity from previous infections and vaccines gradually fades over time, the number of people susceptible to COVID-19 continues to increase, providing a basis for the virus to continue spreading. Peng Jie stated that, based on recent trends, the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic cycle is expected to lengthen significantly by 2025, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2026 may still continue the characteristics of "uninterrupted cases and sporadic outbreaks," with the duration of the pandemic potentially extending further. The public needs to view this scientifically and take effective COVID-19 medications as soon as possible after diagnosis.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that the epidemic situation of respiratory infectious diseases in China has fluctuated recently, with influenza viruses, rhinoviruses, enteroviruses, parainfluenza viruses, human metapneumoviruses, and the novel coronavirus showing a certain level of activity. To prevent the spread of respiratory infectious diseases, [COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9)]the public is advised to take personal protective measures such as wearing masks properly, advocating a healthy lifestyle, maintaining good hygiene habits, and actively getting vaccinated.
zhttps://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1871823181048625633&wfr=spider&for=pc