COVID-19 testing Photo: VCG

In recent weeks, China has observed a slight uptick in COVID-19 infections, though experts emphasize the situation remains within a manageable and relatively stable range, People's Daily's health channel reported on Tuesday. 

"In the past two months, we have indeed seen a rising trend in COVID-19 infections. However, this increase has not reached a significant scale and remains within a reasonable and controllable level," infectious disease specialists from major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong, and Wuhan in Central China's Hubei, were quoted as saying in the media report. 

While most young people typically recover from COVID-19 within three to five days without severe symptoms, experts cautioned that elderly individuals face higher risks of developing serious illness and should not take the virus lightly, according to the media report. 

According to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC)'s national sentinel surveillance report released on Thursday, the COVID-19 positivity rate among influenza-like illness cases in outpatient and emergency departments rose from 7.5 percent to 16.2 percent between March 31 and May 4. Among hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection cases, the positivity rate increased from 3.3 percent to 6.3 percent, the media report said. 

During the three-week period from April 14 to May 4, COVID-19 surpassed rhinovirus as the leading cause of outpatient and emergency visits for flu-like symptoms, according to media reports.

The latest national surveillance report released by China CDC shows that southern provinces are experiencing slightly higher COVID-19 positivity rates compared to northern regions. In some provinces where rates began rising earlier, the surge is already showing signs of slowing down.

Cai Weiping, chief expert at the infectious disease center of Guangzhou No.8 People's Hospital, was quoted as saying in the report by People's Daily's health channel that "The last COVID-19 mini-surge occurred in July and August 2024, about 10 months ago. With waning or disappearing antibody levels among the population, the current uptick is within expected patterns." 

Besides the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan are also experiencing a peak in COVID-19 infections currently, according to local media reports. 

While the test positivity rate rises in Hong Kong, new virus variants, including XDV and sublineages of JN.1, have emerged with a high degree of immune evasion, increasing the risk of infection, Professor Ivan Hung of University of Hong Kong was quoted as saying in a report by the RTHK on Monday.

He urged children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic illnesses to get vaccinated as early as possible.

In Hong Kong, two children infected with COVID-19 are in critical and serious condition, respectively. Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the Centre of Health Protection's Communicable Disease Branch, was quoted as saying in a RTHK's program on Tuesday that the level of COVID-19 activity in Hong Kong has reached a relatively high point.