Chinese health authorities reported that the Omicron JN.1 mutant strain has become the dominant epidemic strain of COVID-19 in China. Data showed an increase in COVID-19 cases, especially as the Chinese New Year approached, potentially leading to a further spread of COVID-19. Although acute respiratory disease, including influenza, showed a downward trend, health officials expect multiple respiratory diseases to spread simultaneously in the coming weeks.
In Jiangsu Province, a physician reported a surge in COVID-19 cases, stating that the virus becomes more rampant in winter with pediatric hospitals being overcrowded. A villager described the high number of infected people in his village, including his two sisters who are receiving IV treatment, as well as the sudden death of a distant relative. An insider in Jilin indicated that a significant number of people developed pulmonary nodules since the COVID-19 outbreak.
Chinese health experts estimated that 90 percent of the population had been infected with COVID-19 over the past three years, and ongoing medical examinations have shown a high occurrence of pulmonary nodules. The president of Putian University Affiliated Hospital and director of the Second Thoracic Surgery Department of Fujian Medical University Affiliated Union Hospital reported that pulmonary nodules were found in patients who recovered from COVID-19. Another doctor also posted a video warning of the increased presence of lung nodules, some of which have a high probability of being malignant. Local residents confirmed the high number of people seeking treatment for fever, colds, and white lung symptoms, with several reports of sudden deaths.