COVID-19 Positive Rate in China Rises to 20%, Residents Report Increase in High Fever and Cough

The image shows a representation of the CCP Virus (COVID-19 virus). (Pixabay)

[People News] On July 30, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the COVID-19 positive rate among outpatient and emergency department influenza-like illness cases in sentinel hospitals nationwide has increased to 20.3%, up 4 percentage points from the previous week. Residents in Guangdong, Henan, Hubei, and other regions told Radio Free Asia that there has been a significant rise in patients experiencing high fever, cough, and fatigue, leading to a noticeable increase in hospital visits. Some residents expressed concerns that local hospitals are attributing symptoms solely to the common cold and are deliberately avoiding discussions about COVID-19.

As reported by Radio Free Asia, monitoring data for week 30 indicates that from July 20 to 26, the COVID-19 positive rate among respiratory samples from influenza-like illness cases in national sentinel hospitals reached 20.3%, making it the most prevalent pathogen monitored; the positive rate for COVID-19 among hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection cases was 9.5%. The Chinese CDC has classified the current level of viral activity as epidemic.

In an interview with Radio Free Asia, Mr. Feng, a resident of Guangzhou, stated that the fever clinics in local hospitals are overwhelmed, and he has heard many friends discussing their own or their family members' reinfections with COVID-19. He believes that public awareness of COVID-19 has diminished, and he has not seen any new reminders for epidemic prevention. He remarked, 'Some friends say they tested positive, and another friend mentioned that his entire family has a cold; I suspect they are actually positive. It has been reported that some people have died this year, but it is unclear where this occurred; I suspect that specific death reports will be suppressed.'

The number of hospital visitors has surged, with fewer references to COVID-19.

Jia Lingmin (pseudonym), a former teacher in Zhengzhou, Henan, told Radio Free Asia that a month ago, there was a significant rise in the number of people suffering from colds and fevers in the area, affecting both adults and children. She noted that children were particularly prone to recurrent high fevers, yet COVID-19 was rarely mentioned in online discussions or media reports.

She remarked, "This year, there are indeed quite a few cases; there were especially many a while back. Children are also experiencing this cold, and there are numerous cases among both adults and children. However, the internet and media hardly mention it, and they don’t even report on it. By the time online reports indicate how many COVID-19 infections exist, that information is already over twenty days old. A month ago, there were particularly many cases of children with fevers and adults with colds."

A report by China News Weekly on August 3 cited Hu Bijie, the director of the Infectious Disease Department at Fudan University’s Zhongshan Hospital, who stated that the positive rate among samples of influenza-like cases from sentinel hospitals is 20.3%, which does not reflect the national infection rate. Over the past month, the number of COVID-19 patients seen in the hospital's fever clinic has surged from a few cases daily to dozens, and the number of infections among hospitalized patients has also increased. He assessed that this current wave of the epidemic is still on the rise.

Reporters from Radio Free Asia attempted to contact the disease control departments in Shandong and Guangdong, but their calls went unanswered for an extended period.

Both official consultations and hospital visits are increasing.

Data released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on July 8 indicated that the number of patients treated in fever clinics nationwide rose from 58,000 at the beginning of June to 65,000 by the end of the month. In June, there were 79,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 130 severe cases and 1 death, with the overall reported case numbers showing an upward trend.

According to a report by Guangzhou Daily on July 14, Guangdong province recorded 26,117 new COVID-19 infections in June, with no reported deaths, making it the highest number of cases among category B infectious diseases in the region; in May, the reported cases were 2,979.

Data released by the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention in July also indicated that COVID-19 infections ranked among the top five reported cases of category B infectious diseases in June.

Interviewees have noted that hospitals tend to avoid discussing COVID-19.

Lu Qiumei, a rights activist from Linyi, Shandong, told reporters that she has recently experienced symptoms such as a hoarse voice, sneezing, fatigue, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. She did not take a COVID-19 test, suspecting she might have a mild infection. She also mentioned that a friend had a high fever and was unable to get out of bed, and many others around her were showing similar symptoms.

She stated: "Hospitals won’t inform you about this; they only suggest using air conditioning and alternating between hot and cold, attributing symptoms to a cold. However, after researching online, I believe this could be a form of COVID-19."

Ms. Peng, a resident of Wuhan, Hubei, reported an increase in people suffering from colds and coughs recently, with many not recovering for an extended period even after taking medication. She herself has been experiencing a persistent cough, excessive phlegm, and nasal congestion, but has not undergone a COVID-19 test.

She remarked: "Many people now have colds and coughs, and it’s difficult to recover. I’ve been dealing with it for quite a while, just coughing and producing a lot of phlegm, and it never seems to get better; medication hasn’t helped, and I even have a nasal tone when I speak."

Ms. Peng added: "Logically, colds should be less frequent in summer than in winter. In the past, staying in an air-conditioned room didn’t lead to such prolonged fevers and coughs. Friends and family have also noted an increase in colds recently, and there’s talk of another wave of COVID-19."

Gu Xiaojie, a netizen from Nanjing, Jiangsu, also mentioned that one of her friends has contracted COVID-19 and is currently recuperating at home. She remarked, "I have a friend here who also has COVID-19 and is staying home, not going out. It seems there have been more COVID-19 cases recently, I suppose." 

The approach to handling epidemic information varies between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. 

Since January 2023, China has adopted a 'Class B Class Management' policy for COVID-19 infections, ceasing the daily publication of infection and death statistics. Currently, the available public information primarily derives from monthly epidemic reports, sentinel hospital monitoring, and the patient reception status of medical institutions. 

During the same timeframe, Taiwan has also experienced an increase in COVID-19 cases. On August 4, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control reported that there were 18,990 visits to emergency departments for COVID-19 during week 30, marking a 74.8% increase from the previous week; from July 28 to August 3, there were 62 new cases of severe local infections and 3 deaths. Since October 2025, Taiwan has cumulatively reported 265 cases of severe local infections, with 28 fatalities, primarily affecting elderly individuals over 65 and those with chronic health conditions. 
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