"600 million infected in China"... What are the characteristics of the 'new' XBB?

<Anchor>

In China, there are reports that the number of corona patients has now exceeded 600 million.

In response to the strict quarantine policy applied to China by countries around the world, including Korea, China has announced that it will take corresponding measures.

Correspondent Kim Ji-sung reported the situation in China from Beijing.

<Reporter>

Citizens gathered like a cloud at a New Year's celebration in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province.

In major Chinese cities such as Nanjing, Zhengzhou, and Wuhan, people are easily found without masks.

The quarantine authorities have practically let go.

While the Chinese government has not released statistics on the number of infected people with Corona 19, Taiwanese media reported that the number of infected people in China has exceeded 600 million.

According to the tally of Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the cumulative number of infections worldwide is 660 million.

According to the report, this means that the number of infected people approaching this in just one month in China.

[Taiwan USTV News: China has been hit by the Corona 19 tsunami since lifting the blockade early last month.

Experts estimate the number of infected people at 600 million.]

In fact, as a result of a sample survey of 700,000 residents by the Sichuan Provincial quarantine authorities, more than 80% responded that they were infected.

In particular, recently, XBB mutations, which are rapidly spreading abroad, have also been discovered in China.

XBB mutations are known to have a high reinfection rate with strong resistance to antibody treatments and Omicron vaccine.

Regarding the measures to restrict entry from China by other countries, including South Korea, the Chinese government said, "Some excessive measures are unacceptable."

[Maoning/Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: We firmly oppose (to measures with political intentions), and we will take corresponding measures according to the principle of equality for each situation.]

It is estimated that China's large cities have already passed the peak of the spread of Corona 19 .

However, authorities are concerned that if the XBB mutation spreads, it could trigger a new large-scale infection.

(Video coverage: Choi Deok-hyun, video editing: Lee Seung-hee, CG: Seo Seung-hyun, video source: Twitter Weibo)

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<Anchor>

Let's talk more about this with medical reporter Jo Dong-chan.

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): XBB is a recombinant mutation in which two Omicron mutations are combined.

A little more change here is XBB.1.5.

XBB.1.5 was first confirmed in Korea on the 8th of last month, and there were 6 cases in Korea and 7 imported cases.

An official from the quarantine authorities said that they could not find a route in Korea, and that the inflow from abroad was from the United States.

XBB.1.5 is currently growing fastest in the US.]

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): Let's look at the Tokyo University study on XBB.

It penetrates human cells better than previous mutations and is highly contagious.

In addition, the effectiveness of the improved bivalent vaccine may be reduced due to the lack of neutralizing antibodies against BA.2 and BA.5 mutations.

Also, the last bastion, the immune-compromised medicine Eve Shield, doesn't work well.

Judging from the test results alone, XBB.1.5 is threatening.

But it doesn't seem like that in reality.]

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): It was said that the United States is growing the fastest, but let's look at the US situation right away.

Overtaking all other variants, XBB.1.5's share jumped from 0.6% to 40.5% over the past month.

However, if you look at the graph of new corona confirmed cases and deaths in the United States during that period, it remains low without any significant change.

This is because people have become stronger through vaccines and natural infections over the past 3 years, and the medications they eat also work well.]

[Cho Dong-chan/Medical reporter (specialist): It was reported that all Chinese travelers who were confirmed at the Italian airport were asymptomatic.

Experts are cautiously predicting that corona will no longer be a threat to those who are healthy enough to travel.

So, it means that the quarantine policy should be more focused on the elderly over 60 years of age and immunocompromised people who are still at risk of corona.]

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