The spread of influenza has continued to show an upward trend in multiple provinces across China with outbreaks of influenza A (H1N1) virus being reported at many schools in several areas.
Statistics from the Chinese National Influenza Center (CNIC) show that the positive rate of influenza virus continued to rise in both southern and northern provinces during the seventh week of 2023, which is consistent with the usual peak of influenza in the winter and spring.
According to the CNIC's weekly report on influenza released on February 23, the influenza A (H1N1) virus accounted for 71 percent of the total samples of the influenza virus, making it the most prevalent strain.
The Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Zhejiang CDC) announced on its official WeChat account on Tuesday that influenza outbreaks have occurred at schools in multiple cities across the province with H1N1 being the predominant virus.
The Zhejiang CDC noted that as H1N1 has not been prevalent in the province for nearly three years, the local population is generally susceptible to the virus due to low vaccination rates. Since China downgraded its COVID-19 management on January 8, the increased flow of people and gatherings have also made it easier for the virus to spread, according to the Zhejiang CDC.
