China and other countries could be hit by a second wave of coronavirus in November, one of China’s top medical experts has warned as the world’s second largest economy limped back to normalcy after a three-month-long grim battle against the pandemic.
Zhang Wenhong, who heads the Covid-19 clinical expert team in Shanghai and leads the infectious disease department at one of the eastern metropolitan city’s top hospitals, expects that in the long term, countries will have to take a flexible approach to recurring outbreaks.
While countries around the world may be able to bring the deadly pandemic under adequate control by autumn, the coming winter may bring a “second wave” of infections in China and elsewhere, he said.
Speaking during an online live stream broadcast by popular short-video platform Kuaishou, Zhang said China’s experience with disease control means any resurgence in infections later this year will be manageable, and not require a repeat of the dramatic measures taken to curb the virus’’s initial spread. Zhang’s comments come as Chinese officials gradually eased quarantine restrictions as part of efforts to revive the country’s economy.
As of Wednesday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in China reached 82,341. Altogether 3,342 people have died of the disease, according to the National Health Commission of China.