Fourth wave of Covid-19 in China, Hong Kong, raises concerns in India

            The recent breakout of Covid-19 cases in mainland China and Hong Kong has raised fears that a fourth wave could impact India sooner or later.

It should be highlighted that the number of new Covid-19 cases in China more than doubled on Tuesday compared to the previous day, indicating that the country is currently facing its worst epidemic since the pandemic’s inception. In the most recent 24-hour period, 3,507 additional cases were recorded, up from 1,337 the day before. The majority of the new cases were recorded in northeast China’s Jilin province, where 2,601 people were infected. A fast-spreading variety known as stealth omicron is putting China’s zero-tolerance stance to the test, which previously kept the virus at bay during a lethal first outbreak in early 2020. Dr NK Arora, head of NTAGI’s Covid-19 Working Group in India, has stated that Indians should not take the illness “for granted” because new varieties might emerge at any time.

The rapidly spreading type known as “stealth omicron” is putting China’s zero-tolerance policy to the test. Dr Arora further stated that INSACOG’s surveillance will be expanded. “There is now a plan to expand INSACOG surveillance to sewage surveillance, similar to polio surveillance, and that sewage material would also be analysed for COVID viruses”, he stated.