Has the COVID-19 Spread Slowed in China? US Experts Say "It's Too Early to Tell"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The number of new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in China has begun to increase in the thousands. While there is analysis that the strong lockdown policies implemented by the Chinese government have been effective, some experts still argue that it is too early to conclude that the spread has slowed down.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

On the 19th, the National Health Commission of China (NHC) reported that 136 people died from COVID-19 across China the previous day, bringing the total death toll to 2,004. The number of new confirmed cases increased by 1,749 in one day, raising the cumulative confirmed cases to 74,185. Most of the new deaths and confirmed cases again occurred in Hubei Province. Hubei Province announced that 132 people died from COVID-19 and 1,693 were confirmed cases the previous day.

Looking at the numbers alone, the additional confirmed cases in China have continued to show a downward trend. On the 12th, when clinically diagnosed patients were included as confirmed cases, new confirmed cases were around 2,000, but since the 17th, the number has remained in the high 1,000s. However, the number of additional deaths increased compared to the previous day's report (98 people).

Both inside and outside China, the slowing trend in the increase of new confirmed cases is explained as a result of the effectiveness of the lockdown policies. China has locked down Hubei Province, including Wuhan, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. Especially in the Wuhan area, high-intensity control policies such as comprehensive testing are being implemented.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said, "We need to observe for a few more days to see whether the spread in China is truly slowing down."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Dr. Fauci added, "Restricting movement in major cities and limiting the movement of 50 million people in Hubei Province, including 11 million in Wuhan, is unprecedented. This decision aims to prevent the spread not only within China but also to regions outside China," and he added, "These efforts are showing tangible results."

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), also said in an interview with a media outlet, "New confirmed cases are decreasing," but cautioned, "This trend must be interpreted very carefully."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.