China Flu Season: National Health Commission: influenza activity expected to decline in second half of January
Error loading player: No playable sources found

China's National Health Commission says influenza infections in the country are expected to decline in the second half of January. The commission said on Sunday that the rate of infection detected in outpatient and emergency hospital departments across China increased by 3.8 percent in the first week of 2025, compared to the previous week, which is lower than the same period last year. Experts also caution that children should take extra care in fending off infections.

WANG LIPING Researcher, Center for Disease Control and Prevention "Currently, it's the high season for respiratory infections, and there are various pathogens as the cause. According to our monitors, influenza is the main cause of the increase in acute respiratory infections among patients in medical institutions. With winter vacations starting for primary and secondary schools, it is expected that the level of influenza activity will decrease in the middle and later part of the month. Overall, this winter and spring will continue to show alternating or overlapping epidemic patterns, but these are all known pathogens with no emergence of new infectious diseases. The overall intensity of the spread and pressure on medical visits will not exceed last year's levels."

XU BAOPING Chief Physician, Beijing Children's Hospital "In the outpatient clinic of Beijing Children's Hospital, there is no abnormal increase in the number of patients registered this year. In the past two months, the number of patients visiting the internal and outpatient departments has decreased compared to the same period in 2023, and is consistent with the same period in 2019. For this period, the main type is influenza A. Children could be infected with two different pathogens successively. So at this time, we should pay more attention to protection for children."