Guangzhou braces for possible COVID peak in January

Guangzhou, Guangdong province, is making efforts to strengthen medical resource reserves and improve its ability to cope with the possible upcoming peak period of COVID-19 infections, a senior health official said.

Various departments are expanding health education to help residents further raise their awareness to prevent being infected, Zhang Yi, deputy director and spokeswoman of the Guangzhou health commission, said at a news conference on Monday.

"Concrete and effective measures will continue to be introduced to prevent and control the spread of the coronavirus among key institutions, venues and groups of people in the weeks to come," she said.

"A vaccination campaign against COVID-19 for the city's elderly and high-risk groups will be carried out to help delay the peak period, weaken the infectiousness of the virus to ensure stable and orderly medical treatment in the city, which has a population of more than 18 million," Zhang said.

Medical experts have forecast that the peak period for COVID-19 infections will appear in early January, she added.

Zhang said the city's fever clinic capacity will be increased to be able to cope with up to 161,000 instances daily in the coming year.

"Some common outpatient departments at major hospitals can be rebuilt into fever departments and clinics if needed in the future," she said, adding that intensive care unit beds will be increased to help treat the possible number of severe and critically ill patients.

Major hospitals are also accelerating the development of internet platforms to promote online consultations and diagnoses, she said. Currently, 498 doctors from 168 internet hospitals are offering online medical services.

Meanwhile efforts are also being made to help rural clinics to further improve their treatment abilities to prevent and control possible outbreaks in rural areas, Zhang said.

According to the commission, the number of fever patients has surged since early December, with about 86 percent of the patients between 18 and 59 years old. Patients over 60 years old account for 8.2 percent, while those under 18 make up 5.8 percent.