Health experts from Hainan Province have issued a warning about the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in some cities and counties in the province. According to Jin Yuming, the Chief Health Emergency Expert at the Hainan Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of COVID-19 infections and the rate of positive test results among fever patients have both significantly increased.
Experts have analysed the data and concluded that Hainan Province is still in a “sporadic outbreak period” of COVID-19. The recent reports show that the majority of new cases were from people who had not previously been infected, while a small proportion were from individuals who were infected during the first wave of the pandemic in December 2022 to January 2023.
The main strain of the virus currently circulating in Hainan Province is XBB.1 and its sub-branches, accounting for more than 70% of all cases.
According to the health department, despite the increase in cases, the province’s medical service system has not been significantly affected. The number of patients visiting fever clinics and emergency departments in medical institutions, as well as the utilization rate of beds in secondary or higher-level medical institutions and the proportion of critically ill patients in ICU beds, have not been significantly affected.
However, with summer being the peak season for influenza (flu) in Hainan Province, the public is advised to continue taking personal protective measures such as wearing masks in public places, washing hands frequently, maintaining a distance of 1 meter, and avoiding gatherings of people. The community’s severely ill and high-risk individuals require extra attention to their protective measures.
Jin Yuming emphasized that everyone should take responsibility for their own health and that of their families. Anyone with symptoms such as fever, cough, fatigue, and body aches should seek medical attention at a fever clinic immediately and take medication as directed by medical personnel.
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