The number of patients with "double positive" has increased. How do you view the current situation? How can we respond scientifically?

In recent times, topics such as "double positive" and secondary infection of the new coronavirus have attracted everyone's attention.

What is the current epidemic situation of the new coronavirus? Why can a person test positive again after testing positive? In response to questions of public concern, the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council recently organized experts to answer them.
The national epidemic prevention and control situation is stable and controllable

Monitoring data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention show that after China's COVID-19 epidemic stabilized in February this year, it entered a period of local sporadic outbreaks. Since late April this year, the epidemic has increased, and since mid-May it has entered a low-level wave-like epidemic situation.

Wang Liping, researcher at the Department of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention: From the situation of patients visiting fever clinics, we can also see that although the number of patients visiting fever clinics has increased since late April, the overall number is still far lower than the peak of the previous wave of epidemics. Most of the patients are still mild patients, so combined with the data we monitor from multiple channels, we can judge that the epidemic caused by the XBB series of variants will continue for some time in the coming period, but the overall epidemic prevention and control situation in the country is still stable and controllable.

Experts remind the public that to prevent infection, they must continue to maintain good hygiene habits, wear masks scientifically, and wash hands frequently.

Wang Liping, researcher at the Department of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention: When going to places such as medical institutions and nursing homes, especially for key personnel such as the elderly, people with underlying chronic diseases, and pregnant women, we still recommend that they wear masks.

Pathogenicity of XBB series variants

No significant changes

Chen Cao, a researcher at the Institute of Viral Diseases of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, introduced that monitoring data showed that the proportion of Omicron XBB series variants was relatively high, whether in imported cases or domestic cases, which was basically consistent with the proportion of XBB series variants worldwide.

Chen Cao, a researcher at the Institute of Viral Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Among the imported cases, the proportion of XBB variants has remained high, accounting for 95.2% of the sequences collected from May 15 to May 21. Among the local cases, the XBB series of variants accounted for 91.9% of the sequences collected from May 15 to May 21, and the overall proportion of other Omicron variants was less than 10%. The proportion of evolutionary analysis is consistent with the main epidemic strains in our world and in neighboring regions and countries during the same period. With the continuous increase in imported variant strains and the continuous decline in the antibody level of our population, the number of cases infected with XBB variants may increase in the near future, but its pathogenicity has not changed significantly.

Is “two yangs” more harmful to the body?

Will there be any sequelae?

In response to the public's general concern about whether the symptoms of "double positive" are serious, whether the more times the "positive" test is tested, the more severe the symptoms will be, and whether the damage to the body will be greater? How should patients with "double positive" treat the condition? Will there be sequelae? The experts organized by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council answered the questions.

Li Dongzeng, chief physician of the Department of Infection, Beijing You'an Hospital: The people with "two positives" we have observed are mainly young people and young adults, that is, people between the ages of 18 and 60. Generally speaking, the symptoms of these people after "two positives" are significantly lighter than those of "one positive". In the past, they may have had severe headaches, "razor throats", and severe coughs. The symptoms of "two positives" themselves feel lighter than the first time, and recovery is faster, usually 3 to 5 days, and most people may need 5 to 7 days for the first "positive". So everyone feels less nervous than the first time. Overall, these young people, young adults, and people with normal immune function have gained resistance after the first infection. When facing the second time, they can more easily and easily defeat the virus and recover faster.

Experts recommend that patients with "double positive" should not go to work while sick, otherwise it will be detrimental to the recovery of the infected person and will increase the risk of virus transmission.

Li Dongzeng, chief physician of the Department of Infection, Beijing You'an Hospital: If you have a fever or respiratory symptoms, you must rest. If you feel that the symptoms are getting worse after resting, especially if it has been more than 5 days, and you still have a fever, a high fever, or even symptoms such as chest tightness and shortness of breath, you should go to the hospital in time. If the symptoms are not serious, most people can recover in about 5 days.

Experts also gave explanations for the sequelae of the new coronavirus that some people are worried about.

Li Dongzeng, chief physician of the Department of Infection, Beijing You'an Hospital: Some patients recover slowly, but according to the definition of the World Health Organization, it usually takes more than three months for these symptoms to persist, and these symptoms have lasted for more than two months. We call it "sequelae". In fact, there are relatively few patients who meet this definition, because some patients have not fully recovered in one or two months, so they come to the doctor in a hurry. In fact, there are very few patients who still have symptoms after more than three months. Some reports from abroad show that the sequelae are more serious after "two positives" or even "three positives", which are mainly based on some vulnerable groups, the elderly and people with more underlying diseases.

Source: CCTV News, Beijing Evening News