Why are Covid-19 cases rising in China? Is a new variant of the dangerous coronavirus virus to blame? What are the challenges this could bring to India? Let’s find out.
Covid-19 cases rising in China
The warning is already out. Once again, China is wrestling with an unaccountable surge in the number of new Covid-19 cases. Unlike in 2019, when the novel coronavirus first wounded our lives, there is no mystery virus behind the rise in infections.
According to India Today, China is running the risk of around 2 million deaths because of the recent rise in Covid-19 cases. One epidemiologist, in a now viral tweet, has projected that 60% of the country’s population could end up being infected over the course of the next few months.
As usual, China did not disclose much while it followed a ruthless zero-Covid policy that prompted massive protests in various cities. Those protests forced Beijing to ease restrictions in the country. This in turn led to the spike in cases that we’re seeing right now.
Why can’t we ignore it?
We can’t ignore what happened in late 2019 and early 2020 when China reported the world’s first cases of Covid-19. The things that happened next are a nightmare for many around the globe. Similarly, while China battles its Covid crisis now, the rest of the world is left with haunting memories of the pandemic behind.
This is why it is important for Xi Jinping’s government to be open, transparent, and communicative about its Covid situation. We don’t want the world to be pulled into a false sense of complacency that can have devastating outcomes if cases were to similarly spike in other nations.
The Covid virus knows no boundaries or limits. This is why China needs to be honest about its current Covid crisis and give the world critical information that will help it better prepare for what’s coming next. Being evasive about Covid-19 didn’t help in 2019 and it won’t help now.
