Lin Mingcheng said that the influenza is expected to be out of the epidemic period in mid-to-late November, and the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic is expected to be out of the epidemic period as soon as next week.
Influenza and COVID-19 are still in the epidemic period. The CDC pointed out that the number of influenza deaths in a single week reached 46 last week, a new high this year. Although the epidemic continues to cool down, it is not expected to be out of the epidemic period until mid-to-late November. The COVID-19 epidemic is expected to be out of the epidemic period as soon as next week. It calls on risk groups to still get vaccinated as soon as possible to reduce the risk of severe illness or death after infection.
Lin Mingcheng, deputy director of the CDC, pointed out that both influenza and COVID-19 are still in the epidemic period. The influenza epidemic has been declining for three consecutive weeks, but there were still 144 new severe cases of influenza last week, and 46 deaths in a single week hit a new high this year. The number of influenza deaths is a backward indicator of the epidemic. The peak of this wave of influenza epidemic has passed. It is expected that the epidemic will continue to cool down in mid-October and will exit the epidemic period in mid-to-late November.
Lin Yongqing reminded that high-risk groups such as the elderly, young children, and patients with chronic diseases should complete vaccination as soon as possible.
In terms of the new coronavirus epidemic, the epidemic continued to cool down last week, with 21 new local severe cases and 15 local deaths last week. Lin Mingcheng said that the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic will be out of the epidemic period as soon as next week, but he called on high-risk groups such as the elderly, young children, and patients with chronic diseases to complete vaccination as soon as possible to gain protection before the next peak of the epidemic.
Lin Yongqing, an epidemic prevention physician at the CDC, explained that one of the younger flu deaths last week included a man in his 40s from northern China. He had a history of cerebral hemorrhage and liver cirrhosis. He had not been vaccinated against last season's and this season's influenza. He began to develop fever, cough, difficulty breathing and other symptoms in early October, and went to the emergency room for medical treatment. The examination revealed low blood pressure and hypoxemia. A quick influenza screen was positive for type A influenza, and a chest X-ray showed bilateral pneumonia.
Lin Yongqing said that the case persisted in acute respiratory distress during emergency treatment. After being admitted to the intensive care unit, he was given antibiotics and antiviral drugs. Later, septic shock and respiratory failure worsened. He passed away a week after being hospitalized. The cause of death was influenza complicated by pneumonia, septic shock and multiple organ failure.
In response to the COVID-19 death cases, Lin Yongqing said that one of the central men, a man in his 50s, had a history of diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung disease, and end-stage renal disease. The case only received 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2022 and has not been vaccinated since. He developed cough, runny nose, body aches, and difficulty breathing in late September, so he went to the emergency room for medical treatment.
Lin Yongqing said that the case was observed in the emergency department with hypoxemia and pneumonia on the chest X-ray. After rapid screening, it was positive for COVID-19. He was admitted to the intensive care unit and emergency hemodialysis, and was given antibiotics and antiviral drugs. At the end of September, he developed changes in consciousness and arrhythmia. Although the vital signs were restored after emergency treatment, his consciousness had not yet recovered. He died in early October after 2 weeks of hospitalization. The cause of death was heart and multiple organ failure complicated by COVID-19 infection.
