BEIJING: Health authorities in China said on Thursday (Feb 23) the country’s COVID-19 epidemic has “basically” ended, but it is not completely over as it found seven imported cases of the highly-transmissible XBB.1.5 variant since Jan 8.
Officials, speaking at a news event with several departments attending, said China’s “major decisive victory” over COVID-19 has set an example for populous nations in prevention and control.
Last week, China’s top leaders declared a “decisive victory” over COVID-19, claiming the world’s lowest fatality rate, although experts questioned data as the virus surged across the country recently after largely being kept at bay for three years.