China Fights With New Wave Of Covid Variant

65 million cases expected weekly…

China witnessed a new Covid-19 wave that is expected to hike in June and infect as many as 65 million people a week since the new XBB variants of the virus are evolving to overcome the immunity developed in 2022, reported The Washington Post.

According to sources, quoted by The Washington Post, leading Chinese epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan said that two new vaccinations for the XBB omicron sub variants (including XBB. 1.9.1, XBB. 1.5, and XBB. 1.16) have been given preliminary approval so far.

Zhong said that three to four more vaccines will soon receive approval, but he gave no further information regarding this.

The new outbreak may be the biggest wave of the disease ever recorded since China's zero-Covid program was abandoned last winter, which showed that 85 percent of the population was sick.

Officials in China claim that the current wave will be less severe, but health experts believe that to avoid another rise in mortality among the elderly population of the nation, a vigorous vaccination booster program and a ready supply of antivirals in hospitals are necessary.