sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
An on-site investigation of the "mini-peak" in influenza and COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou: mostly mild cases, symptomatic treatment and no need to panic.
July 17, 2026, 11:40 AM, Yangcheng Evening News, JinYang.com
Entering July, many Guangzhou residents have noticed a significant increase in the number of people around them experiencing fever and cough. Data from the disease control department shows that both influenza and COVID-19 are experiencing mini-peaks in their prevalence. Reporters visited the emergency departments and pediatric wards of several Guangzhou hospitals, seeking detailed explanations of coping strategies from frontline experts.
The emergency department queue was orderly.
On the evening of July 15, the emergency waiting area of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (hereinafter referred to as "Sun Yat-sen First Hospital") was brightly lit. Reporters at the scene saw that 80% of the seats in the lobby were occupied by waiting patients and their families, and a long queue had also formed outside the emergency internal medicine clinic. Although the flow of people was dense, the order was not chaotic.
Reporters learned that the number of emergency room visits at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University increased by nearly 30% in June compared to April, and the upward trend continued in July. Faced with the continued increase in patients, the hospital's emergency medicine department has activated a dynamic allocation mechanism—when there is a surge in patients at the front desk, doctors in the observation and resuscitation areas will be deployed to provide support as needed, minimizing patient waiting times.
"Last week, the positive rate for influenza virus infection in our tests exceeded 50%, and the positive rate for COVID-19 infection exceeded 20%," said Chen Hongwu, associate professor of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. He explained that the hospital's emergency department usually sees 210 to 220 patients a day, but in May and June, the average number reached around 280, and at its peak, it exceeded 300. "Last year, the peak of emergency room visits for influenza and other respiratory infectious diseases started in February, but this year it was delayed until April and has continued until now."
Chen Hongwu explained that the vast majority of patients who recently sought medical attention presented with fever as their initial symptom, and most of them had moderate to high fevers above 38°C, accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as nasal congestion, headache, cough, and sore throat. However, the vast majority of these patients had mild symptoms. The people who really need to be vigilant are the elderly, pregnant women, obese individuals, and those with underlying diseases or weakened immune systems (such as cancer patients).
Experts explain the reasons for the current situation
Data from the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in June 2026, Guangdong Province reported 26,000 new cases of COVID-19 and 274,000 cases of influenza. While these figures are certainly alarming, a closer look reveals no need for panic. Chen Hongwu explained that the vast majority of patients currently have mild symptoms. At a press conference held by the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention on July 16, a spokesperson stated that the overall prevalence of respiratory infectious diseases nationwide is at a low level, and the COVID-19 epidemic is currently at a low prevalence level.
Why did this small peak occur in Guangdong? Lu Chengyu, deputy director and chief physician of the Department of Pediatrics at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, said that the recent high temperatures and heavy rainfall in Guangdong have inadvertently accelerated the spread of the virus through aerosols. In addition, the hot weather has led people to habitually turn on the air conditioning and keep doors and windows closed indoors, resulting in poor air circulation and making it easy for "one person to get infected and the whole family to get infected".
As a frontline pediatrician, Lu Chengyu has also noticed a significant increase in patients with fever, ranging from moderate to high fever. In addition to fever, many patients this year are experiencing sore throats, muscle aches, coughs, and hoarseness – all typical symptoms of influenza combined with COVID-19.
Summer prevention tips
There are effective antiviral drugs for influenza, and the best way to deal with it is to find out the cause and treat the symptoms accordingly. Many patients buy test kits online for home testing, but Chen Hongwu said that if possible, they can choose nucleic acid testing, which has a higher accuracy rate.
According to reports, oseltamivir and mabaloxavir are currently available for treating influenza, while antiviral drugs such as tranexamic acid/ritonavir and lerethevir can be used to treat COVID-19. However, Chen Hongwu reminded that antiviral drugs are all prescription medications, and high-risk individuals should seek medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible. Influenza vaccination remains effective, and regular exercise to strengthen the body is also important. "Taking good personal protection measures and enhancing one's own immunity are the most practical ways to cope with this wave of influenza and COVID-19 'mini-peaks'," he said.
Some people worry that the increased movement of people during the summer vacation will accelerate the spread of the virus, but the opposite is true. Lu Chengyu stated that summer is the "off-season" for pediatrics—children leave crowded teaching environments, which objectively reduces the possibility of transmission. He reminded parents to encourage their children to increase outdoor activities and reduce gatherings.
zhttps://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-07-17/doc-iniiatfh1358273.shtml
July 17, 2026, 11:40 AM, Yangcheng Evening News, JinYang.com
Entering July, many Guangzhou residents have noticed a significant increase in the number of people around them experiencing fever and cough. Data from the disease control department shows that both influenza and COVID-19 are experiencing mini-peaks in their prevalence. Reporters visited the emergency departments and pediatric wards of several Guangzhou hospitals, seeking detailed explanations of coping strategies from frontline experts.
The emergency department queue was orderly.
On the evening of July 15, the emergency waiting area of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (hereinafter referred to as "Sun Yat-sen First Hospital") was brightly lit. Reporters at the scene saw that 80% of the seats in the lobby were occupied by waiting patients and their families, and a long queue had also formed outside the emergency internal medicine clinic. Although the flow of people was dense, the order was not chaotic.
Reporters learned that the number of emergency room visits at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University increased by nearly 30% in June compared to April, and the upward trend continued in July. Faced with the continued increase in patients, the hospital's emergency medicine department has activated a dynamic allocation mechanism—when there is a surge in patients at the front desk, doctors in the observation and resuscitation areas will be deployed to provide support as needed, minimizing patient waiting times.
"Last week, the positive rate for influenza virus infection in our tests exceeded 50%, and the positive rate for COVID-19 infection exceeded 20%," said Chen Hongwu, associate professor of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. He explained that the hospital's emergency department usually sees 210 to 220 patients a day, but in May and June, the average number reached around 280, and at its peak, it exceeded 300. "Last year, the peak of emergency room visits for influenza and other respiratory infectious diseases started in February, but this year it was delayed until April and has continued until now."
Chen Hongwu explained that the vast majority of patients who recently sought medical attention presented with fever as their initial symptom, and most of them had moderate to high fevers above 38°C, accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as nasal congestion, headache, cough, and sore throat. However, the vast majority of these patients had mild symptoms. The people who really need to be vigilant are the elderly, pregnant women, obese individuals, and those with underlying diseases or weakened immune systems (such as cancer patients).
Experts explain the reasons for the current situation
Data from the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in June 2026, Guangdong Province reported 26,000 new cases of COVID-19 and 274,000 cases of influenza. While these figures are certainly alarming, a closer look reveals no need for panic. Chen Hongwu explained that the vast majority of patients currently have mild symptoms. At a press conference held by the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention on July 16, a spokesperson stated that the overall prevalence of respiratory infectious diseases nationwide is at a low level, and the COVID-19 epidemic is currently at a low prevalence level.
Why did this small peak occur in Guangdong? Lu Chengyu, deputy director and chief physician of the Department of Pediatrics at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, said that the recent high temperatures and heavy rainfall in Guangdong have inadvertently accelerated the spread of the virus through aerosols. In addition, the hot weather has led people to habitually turn on the air conditioning and keep doors and windows closed indoors, resulting in poor air circulation and making it easy for "one person to get infected and the whole family to get infected".
As a frontline pediatrician, Lu Chengyu has also noticed a significant increase in patients with fever, ranging from moderate to high fever. In addition to fever, many patients this year are experiencing sore throats, muscle aches, coughs, and hoarseness – all typical symptoms of influenza combined with COVID-19.
Summer prevention tips
There are effective antiviral drugs for influenza, and the best way to deal with it is to find out the cause and treat the symptoms accordingly. Many patients buy test kits online for home testing, but Chen Hongwu said that if possible, they can choose nucleic acid testing, which has a higher accuracy rate.
According to reports, oseltamivir and mabaloxavir are currently available for treating influenza, while antiviral drugs such as tranexamic acid/ritonavir and lerethevir can be used to treat COVID-19. However, Chen Hongwu reminded that antiviral drugs are all prescription medications, and high-risk individuals should seek medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible. Influenza vaccination remains effective, and regular exercise to strengthen the body is also important. "Taking good personal protection measures and enhancing one's own immunity are the most practical ways to cope with this wave of influenza and COVID-19 'mini-peaks'," he said.
Some people worry that the increased movement of people during the summer vacation will accelerate the spread of the virus, but the opposite is true. Lu Chengyu stated that summer is the "off-season" for pediatrics—children leave crowded teaching environments, which objectively reduces the possibility of transmission. He reminded parents to encourage their children to increase outdoor activities and reduce gatherings.
zhttps://finance.sina.com.cn/wm/2026-07-17/doc-iniiatfh1358273.shtml