China’s COVID-19 Infections Surpass 20% as Residents Question Official Numbers

China is experiencing another increase in COVID-19 activity, with official surveillance data showing the virus has now become the country’s most frequently-detected respiratory pathogen.

According to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), COVID-19 accounted for 20.3 percent of respiratory samples collected from patients with influenza-like symptoms at hospitals during the week of July 20–26, up four percentage points from the previous week. The positivity rate among hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory infections also rose to 9.5 percent, ranking highest among all monitored respiratory pathogens across the country.

Despite the uptick, health authorities claim overall COVID-19 activity remains at a “moderate level” and described the increase as part of the virus’s now-familiar seasonal pattern. Officials also said the dominant circulating strain continues to be the Omicron NB.1.8.1 subvariant and that current evidence does not indicate the emergence of a new variant posing additional public health risks.

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Hospitals report uptick

Hu Bijie, director of the Infectious Diseases Department at Zhongshan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University, said the 20.3 percent figure reflects sentinel hospital surveillance rather than the infection rate across China’s entire population.

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Still, he noted that the metric has risen for several consecutive weeks, suggesting COVID-19 is accounting for an increasing share of respiratory illnesses. Based on both national surveillance data and clinical observations, Hu said the current wave remains on an upward trajectory.

RELATED: China’s COVID Cases Nearly Quadrupled in June, Official Data Show

On social media, pediatric physician Li Yadong of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Second Affiliated Hospital said COVID-19 cases remain more common in southern China but are increasing rapidly in northern cities as well, particularly popular travel destinations such as Beijing.

Li attributed the summer surge primarily to waning immunity within the population, while also pointing to the continued circulation of the NB.1.8.1 variant.

Netizens skeptical of official figures

Despite the rising positivity rate, some Chinese social media users questioned whether official statistics capture the full scope of the outbreak. Several individuals claimed hospitals are no longer routinely administering COVID-19 tests, instead testing only for influenza and other flu strains.

“The hospital didn’t test me for COVID,” said one resident from Shanghai. “They only tested for influenza A and B and drew blood before telling me it was a viral infection.” Another user said, “It’s the same here. They said they don’t test for COVID anymore, and even if you test positive, there’s no medicine anyway.”

Others argued that confirmed case numbers likely represent only a fraction of actual infections because many people recover at home or never receive a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis.

Meanwhile, the new outbreak has generated a mix of sarcasm, frustration, and concern across Chinese social media. Some users questioned the effectiveness of earlier vaccination campaigns, while others joked about renewed restrictions or speculated about the causes of the latest wave.

Flashbacks of ‘zero-COVID’ era

Others described experiencing symptoms including fever, sore throat, body aches, headaches, fatigue, and gastrointestinal problems. “Four out of five people in my family have already tested positive,” said one user, “We just didn’t go to the hospital.” Another claimed that multiple deaths had occurred in their village over the past month alone.

The latest COVID-19 wave comes as China is also contending with outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases. Last year, authorities reported rising numbers of dengue fever and chikungunya cases in several southern provinces, prompting intensified mosquito-control efforts that include insecticide spraying, drones to identify breeding sites, and other control measures.

The uptick has also revived painful memories of China’s stringent “zero-COVID” era, when authorities subjected millions of residents to prolonged lockdowns, mass testing, mandatory quarantines, and sweeping travel restrictions. While authorities have given no indication that such measures will return, the resurgence has prompted renewed anxiety and debate among Chinese netizens.