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May 8 | Issue 2020-29
China's Battle Against COVID-19 (29)
Facts & Updates
China is set to orderly open up public places and entertainment venues
  • Shopping malls, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and other public places will be fully reopened on the premise of implementing epidemic prevention measures.
  • Outdoor places including parks, scenic spots and sports venues will be opened through appointments and with restrictions on visitor numbers.
  • Indoor sites such as libraries, museums and art galleries, as well as entertainment venues like movie theaters and arcades, may host meetings and exhibitions where necessary.
Above: Shanghai Disneyland will reopen to the public on May 11 [Photo/Xinhua]

China classified all counties as low-risk for COVID-19 from May 7 as no domestic cases had been reported on the Chinese mainland for four consecutive days as of May 6, with no new deaths for 22 consecutive days.
Nature magazine published a study result by scientists from China, the UK, the US and other countries, concluding tha t " without NPIs ( non-pharmaceutical interventions), the COVID-19 cases (in China) would likely have shown a 67-fold increase ...by February 29, 2020...  "
( Read the report)
On May 7 (Beijing Time), the Chinese mainland reported 1 new case of confirmed infections of COVID-19 and no deaths . China's National Health Commission had received reports of 82,886 confirmed cases and 4,633 deaths in all . 77,993 patients had been cured and discharged from hospital, while 260 patients were under treatment in hospital. ( Read detailed report)
Wuhan Institute of Virology has nothing to do with the virus' origin
Established in 1956, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) is the top virology research agency in China and home to Asia's highest-level biosafety lab. Its P4 biosecurity laboratory can handle the deadliest pathogens in the world, but has nothing to do with the origin of the novel coronavirus.
 Here are some facts.
  • Wuhan P4 lab was born out of cooperation between the Chinese and French governments.
  • Its design, construction and management all follow international standards.
  • Its first group of researchers were trained at P4 labs in France and the US.
  • Its facilities and equipment are tested annually by a third party agency accredited by the state.
  • Before accepting the first batch of test samples of COVID-19 patients on Dec 30, 2019, the institute's labs did not have the novel coronavirus.

  • Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance who worked with a Wuhan virology lab gives four reasons why a coronavirus leak would be extremely unlikely (Read the news report）
  1. The lab's samples don't match the new coronavirus;
  2. The lab implements rigorous safety protocols;
  3. The coronavirus is the latest in a long line of zoonotic disease outbreaks;
  4. Everyday people are more likely to get infected than researchers who wear protection.

  • Yuan Zhiming, professor at WIV told Reuters (Read the report):
  • The WIV does not have the intention and the ability to design and construct a new coronavirus
  • There is no information within the SARS-CoV-2 genome indicating it was manmade.
  • In recent years, we have seen increasing risks posed by close contact between humans and wild animals, with global climate change and the continuous expansion of human activities.
  • High-level biosafety labs have sophisticated protective facilities and strict measures to ensure the safety of laboratory staff and protect the environment from contamination.
  • Tracing the virus’s origin is a very challenging scientific question with strong uncertainty.
  • I hope everyone will put aside their prejudices and biases in order to provide a rational environment for research on tracing the origin of the virus.

  • The World Health Organization noted that all available evidence suggests that the virus has an animal origin and is not manipulated or constructed in a lab or somewhere else. The possible animal source of COVID-19 has not yet been confirmed, and there are only speculations that it is possibly related to bat and pangolin.

  • 27 renowned scientists published a statement on the journal Lancet in February refuting the conspiracy theory that the virus is artificially made. (Read the statement)
Video Clips: China Experience of 'Counterpart Assistance'
As the world continues to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak, China's experience in fighting the pandemic needs to be shared.

Over 42,000 medical workers mobilized nationwide to aid Hubei have contributed to achieving a decisive outcome in the fight to defend Hubei and Wuhan.

This video explains why China's support strategies were successful in high-risk areas.
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