China's COVID fever and emergency hospitalizations have peaked -health official

[January 14, 2023]  SHANGHAI (Reuters) - COVID fever and emergency hospitalizations have peaked in China and the number of hospitalized COVID patients is continuing to decline, a Chinese health official said on Saturday.

Nationwide, "the number of fever clinic visitors is generally in a declining trend after peaking, both in cities and rural areas," Jiao Yahui, an official from the National Health Commission, told a news conference.

Jiao said the number of emergency treatment patients was also declining and the ratio of patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 was steadily falling as well.

The number of severe cases has also peaked, she added, though remained at a high level, and patients were mostly elderly.

Patients receive IV drip treatment at a community health service centre, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China January 9, 2023. cnsphoto via REUTERS

Wen Daxiang, a Shanghai Health Commission official, said China would strengthen health monitoring and management of the high-risk population.

He added that China would bolster the supply of drugs and medical equipment, and beef up training of grassroots medical workers to combat COVID in rural regions.

(Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

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