China’s top medical experts recently published a research report showing that people in Shanghai who were infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 only had mild symptoms. The report was later deleted as it goes against the regime’s “zero-COVID” policy and harsh lockdown measures. Experts believe it also reflects intensified CCP infighting.
A team, led by Shanghai-based expert virologist Zhang Wenhong and Ma Xin, published a research report in an English national public health bulletin called “China CDC Weekly” on June 18. It said that during the COVID outbreak in Shanghai from March 22 to May 3 this year, the overall rate of COVID-19 patients infected with Omicron having severe symptoms was 0.065 percent. The severe rate of non-high-risk groups was zero, while the high-risk group was 0.238 percent. The high-risk group was defined as patients older than 60, or those with various chronic diseases or immunodeficiency.
While countries around the world have adopted the strategy of “coexisting with the virus,” the Chinese communist regime continues it’s zero-COVID policy. When Zhang Wenhong, a prominent figure in the Chinese medical community, suggested that China should coexist with the virus, he was subsequently removed from his position on the Shanghai government epidemic control team and disappeared from public view for a couple of months earlier this year.
Dr. Sean Lin, a former U.S. Army Research Institute virologist, told The Epoch Times on June 21 that the research report reconfirmed the international consensus about the Omicron variant and clearly proved the Chinese regime’s extreme zero-COVID policy to be ineffective.
Indicators of CCP Top Circle Infighting
Chen Kuide, executive chair of the Princeton China Initiative and editor-in-chief of “China In Perspective,” told The Epoch Times on June 22 that the CDC’s publication was clearly under political pressure to delete the report. Zhang’s report showed that the Chinese people, especially the people in Shanghai, can’t bear the zero-COVID policy and measures anymore. “The authorities announced that the lockdown in Shanghai was lifted on June 1, but in reality many areas in the city are still under different levels of shutdown and control. After more than two months of living in lockdown, everyone in Shanghai has reached a critical point.“Under high pressure, they still spoke out their opinions [in the report], without much fear. I think this is a signal that Chinese society has begun to move towards a braver [period] than before, which is a manifestation of a new realization.”
Zhang’s report re-ignited debate on the direction of China’s epidemic prevention and control. One mainland Chinese netizens said: “Shanghai has been tormented for more than 90 days, and the severe symptoms rate is zero! And what is the rate of ordinary people in Shanghai who died because they could’t seek medical treatment in time [under the lockdown]?” However, pro-regime netizens have criticized Zhang Wenhong for promoting coexisting with the virus, arguing that the ultra-low severe symptom rate is the result of the medical aid to Shanghai from all over the country.
Gu Guoping, a retired professor in Shanghai, told The Epoch Times that the issue of Zhang Wenhong’s publication of the research report and the subsequent deletion of it are due to infighting at the top levels of the CCP central government. The Xi Jinping faction wants to continue zero-COVID; Premier Li Keqiang opposes it, and wants to focus on developing the economy. The fight continues.
“Zhang Wenhong’s point of view happened to be in line with Li Keqiang’s approach, so he was in the spotlight. Later he was criticized again. The situation will continue to go back and forth now, because the outcome of CCP’s 20th Party Congress is not known yet,” Gu said
