Beijing CDC says current COVID wave cyclical, not straining healthcare system

COVID-19 activity in Beijing remains within normal cyclical fluctuations, with medical services operating normally despite a recent rise in infections, the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control said on Wednesday.

The center said visits to fever clinics remain low across the city, hospitals have sufficient medicine supplies, and the latest increase in cases has not placed noticeable pressure on the healthcare system, Beijing News reported.

According to the center, COVID-19 has settled into a cyclical transmission pattern in recent years, typically causing one or two waves annually. These fluctuations are driven mainly by viral evolution and changes in population immunity rather than any clear seasonal pattern.

The current wave is associated with a descendant of the previously circulating NB.1.8.1 lineage. Health authorities said no significant changes have been observed in the variant's transmissibility or disease severity.

Most recently reported infections have been mild, with symptoms similar to those seen in previous waves, including a sore throat, cough, and runny nose. Surveillance data also shows that people in the young and middle-aged groups account for more than half of confirmed cases.