Xu Lin, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of the State Council Information Office, shows a white paper on China's fight against COVID-19 at a news conference in Beijing, June 7, 2020. (LI XIN / XINHUA)
BEIJING – The cure rate for COVID-19 has reached over 94 percent on the Chinese mainland, according to a white paper on China's fight against the disease caused by a novel coronavirus.
As of the end of May, a cumulative total of 83,017 confirmed cases had been reported on the Chinese mainland, 78,307 infected had been cured and discharged from hospital, and 4,634 people had died.
This demonstrates a cure rate of 94.3 percent, said the white paper "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action" released by the State Council Information Office Sunday.
The Chinese government released the white paper to keep a record of the country's efforts in its own fight against the virus, to share its experience with the rest of the world, and to clarify its ideas on the global battle, according to the white paper.
The COVID-19 global pandemic is the most extensive to afflict humanity in a century, it said. Facing the "unknown, unexpected, and devastating disease," China launched a resolute battle to prevent and control its spread, it said.
Making people's lives and health its first priority, China adopted extensive, stringent, and thorough containment measures, and has for now succeeded in cutting all channels for the transmission of the virus, it added.
Temporary treatment centers, or Fangcang shelter hospitals, are a major innovative solution that turns the tide in China's battle against COVID-19
Having forged the idea that the world is a global community of shared future, and believing that it must act as a responsible member, China has fought shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world, the white paper stressed.
Noting that the virus is wreaking havoc throughout the world, the white paper said China firmly believes that as long as all countries unite and cooperate to mount a collective response, the international community will succeed in overcoming the pandemic, and will emerge from this dark moment in human history into a brighter future.
"Solidarity means strength. The world will win this battle," said the white paper.
Besides the foreword and afterword, the white paper consists of four parts: "China's Fight against the Epidemic: A Test of Fire," "Well-Coordinated Prevention, Control and Treatment," "Assembling a Powerful Force to Beat the Virus," and "Building a Global Community of Health for All."
CPC LEADERSHIP FUNDAMENTAL
The strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has been fundamental to the country’s rapid containment of the virus, according to the white paper.
The CPC quickly made the right decisions in response to the crisis and implemented efficient and powerful response measures as it has a strong leadership core, a people-oriented governance philosophy, and well-established organization and operation mechanisms, the document said.
ALSO READ: China to expand special fund for COVID-19 cooperation, says envoy
Within a short time, across-the-board crisis-response mechanisms were established down to the community level, motivating all those involved across the country to follow instructions and act as one, read the paper.
XI PROMOTED GLOBAL COOPERATION
Chinese President Xi Jinping has personally promoted international cooperation in fighting COVID-19, the white paper said.
In phone calls and meetings with nearly 50 foreign leaders and heads of international organizations, he explained China's tactics and achievements in fighting the virus, and emphasized China's open, transparent and responsible approach toward releasing information and sharing its experience in virus control and the treatment of infected cases.
He expressed empathy for the difficulties faced by other countries, saying that China would do all it can to help them. He called on all parties to build a global community of shared future, strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and support international organizations in order to work together to meet the challenge, according to the white paper.
At the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19, Xi spoke about China's experience and put forward four key proposals and a series of cooperation initiatives.
On May 18, he addressed the opening of the 73rd World Health Assembly, calling for a joint effort on the part of all countries to overcome the virus and build a global community of health for all. Six proposals were put forward.
He announced a series of key measures that China would take in supporting the global fight, including US$2 billion of international aid over two years, the establishment of a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China in cooperation with the United Nations, the establishment of a cooperation mechanism for Chinese hospitals to pair up with 30 African hospitals, implementation of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative for the poorest countries together with other G20 members, and use of COVID-19 vaccine as a global public product once it is developed and deployed in China, according to the white paper said.
An aerial photo taken on Feb 2, 2020 shows the Huoshenshan (Fire God Mountain) Hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province. (CHENG MIN / XINHUA)
CLOSING TRAFFIC FROM WUHAN CRUCIAL
Describing the closure of outbound traffic from the city of Wuhan in January as a crucial step to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the white paper said President Xi Jinping, on January 22, ordered immediate imposition of tight restrictions on the movement of people and channels of exit in Hubei and Wuhan.
The Ministry of Transport issued an emergency circular suspending passenger traffic into Wuhan from other parts of the country by road or waterway, it added. "This marked the beginning of an all-out battle to protect Wuhan and Hubei from the epidemic," reads the white paper.
SWIFT RESPONSE
China responded swiftly to the COVID-19 public health emergency, containing the rising spread of the virus in little more than a month.
As soon as cases of pneumonia of unknown cause were identified in Wuhan City, China acted immediately to conduct etiological and epidemiological investigations and to stop the spread of the disease, and promptly reported the situation, according to the white paper.
In a timely manner, China informed the World Health Organization and other countries, including the United States, of the developing situation, and released the genome sequence of the novel coronavirus, it said.
After community spread and clusters of cases emerged in Wuhan, and confirmed cases were reported in other Chinese regions, which were due to virus carriers traveling from the city, a nationwide program of epidemic prevention and control was launched, it added.
CHINA INFORMED US ON JAN 4
The head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) informed his US counterpart of COVID-19 at least as early as Jan 4, according to the white paper.
"On January 4, the head of China CDC held a telephone conversation with the director of the US CDC, briefing him about the new pneumonia. The two sides agreed to keep in close contact on information sharing and cooperation on technical matters," reads the document.
The communication came a day after the health authorities in the city of Wuhan issued Information Circular on Viral Pneumonia of Unknown Cause, reporting a total of 44 cases.
READ MORE: China denies delaying, hiding coronavirus data
From Jan 3, on a regular basis, China began to update the World Health Organization, relevant countries, and regional organizations, as well as its own regions of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, on the development of the disease, it said.
As of May 31, medical bills of 58,000 inpatients with confirmed infections had been settled by basic medical insurance, with a total expenditure of about US$190 million
PUBLIC INFORMED IMMEDIATELY
China informed the public right after health experts determined that the new coronavirus was spreading between humans, according to the white paper.
The National Health Commission (NHC) assembled a high-level national team of senior medical and disease control experts and sent them to the city of Wuhan to study the local response to the epidemic.
"In the middle of the night of January 19, after careful examination and deliberation, the team determined that the new coronavirus was spreading between humans," it said.
On January 20, the NHC held a press conference for the high-level expert team, at which it was confirmed that the virus could transmit from human to human, it added.
INFORMATION RELEASE SYSTEM STRICT, EFFICIENT
China has established a strict, professional and efficient system of COVID-19 information release amid its all-out effort to contain the epidemic, according to the white paper.
China has released authoritative and detailed information as early as possible on a regular basis, thus effectively responding to public concern and building public consensus, it said.
Strict regulations are in place to see there is no withholding of information, underreporting, or delay in reporting cases of infection, the documents added.
CHINA GIVES PATIENTS FREE TREATMENT
All COVID-19 patients, confirmed or suspected, received subsidies from state finance for any medical bills not covered by basic medical insurance, serious disease insurance, or the medical assistance fund, according to the white paper.
As of May 31, medical bills of 58,000 inpatients with confirmed infections had been settled by basic medical insurance, with a total expenditure of 1.35 billion yuan (about US$190 million), or 23,000 yuan per person, it added.
The average cost for treating COVID-19 patients in severe condition surpassed 150,000 yuan, and in some critical cases the individual cost exceeded 1 million yuan, all covered by the state, according to the white paper.
3,000 ABOVE 80 YEARS CURED IN HUBEI
More than 3,000 COVID-19 patients over the age of 80, including seven centenarians, have been cured in China’s hardest hit Hubei province. Many of these cured senior patients were brought back to life from the verge of death, the documents showed.
It offered an example of a 70-year-old patient, who was saved thanks to intensive treatment and care by more than 10 medical workers over a period of several weeks. The cost of his treatment, nearly 1.5 million yuan (around US$211,372), was fully covered by the government, it said.
Tailored treatment was given to elderly patients with underlying medical conditions, said it added.
MILLIONS OF MEDICAL WORKERS AT FRONTLINE
Millions of Chinese medical workers grappled with the COVID-19 epidemic at the frontline across the country, according to the white paper.
Showing professional devotion and a deep respect for life, the medical workers risked their own lives, racing against time and working around the clock to try to save every patient, it said.
Medical workers pose for a photo after seeing off cured patients at the Wuchang temporary hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province, March 10, 2020. (XIAO YIJIU / XINHUA)
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY UNDERPIN FIGHT
China has exploited the pioneering role of science and technology and fully applied the results of scientific and technical innovation in its fight against the pandemic, according to the white paper.
The close coordination between scientific research, clinical application, and frontline virus control, and between enterprises, universities and research institutes has given powerful support for the war against the virus, it said.
China initiated 83 emergency research and development programs in such areas as clinical treatment, new medicines and vaccines, testing techniques and products and epidemiology and pooled top research resources around the nation in the programs, it pointed out.
ALSO READ: China to make COVID-19 vaccine global public good, says official
Scientific research and development has been integrated with clinical treatment and epidemic control, it added, highlighting the use of new technologies including big data and artificial intelligence.
TCM USED IN TREATING 92% CASES
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used in treating 92 percent of all confirmed COVID-19 cases across China, according to the document.
A set of TCM diagnosis and treatment protocols were developed to cover the entire process of medical observation, treatment of mild, moderate, severe and critical cases, and recovery, and they have been applied nationwide, it said.
In Hubei, a province once hardest hit by COVID-19, more than 90 percent of confirmed cases received TCM treatment that proved effective, the document added.
INNOVATIVE SOLUTION
Temporary treatment centers, or Fangcang shelter hospitals, are a major innovative solution that turns the tide in the battle against COVID-19 in China, according to the white paper.
The city of Wuhan re-purposed stadiums and exhibition centers into 16 temporary treatment centers, providing some 14,000 beds and making it possible to admit all confirmed mild cases for treatment, said the document.
This helped reduce infections and virus transmission in communities and prevent mild cases from worsening, it added.
In this April 22, 2020 photo, a citizen prepares to receive COVID-19 testing at the health service center in Funing Community in Suifenhe, northeast China's Heilongjiang province. (ZHANG TAO / XINHUA)
CHINA FIRMLY SUPPORTS WHO LEADERSHIP
China firmly supports the World Health Organization (WHO) in playing the leading role in the global battle against COVID-19, the State Council said in the white paper.
China called on the international community to give the WHO more political and financial support, so that necessary resources worldwide can be mobilized to defeat the virus, according to the white paper.
All countries should implement COVID-19 response under the guidance and coordination of the WHO, it said.
PROTECTIVE MATERIALS SENT TO 200 COUNTRIES, REGIONS
China exported protective materials to 200 countries and regions from March 1 to May 31 to help them fight against COVID-19. China's growing exports provided strong support for the prevention and control efforts of affected countries, according to the white paper.
The exports included more than 70.6 billion masks, 340 million protective suits, 115 million pairs of goggles, 96,700 ventilators, 225 million test kits, and 40.29 million infrared thermometers, the document added.
CHINA’S HELP
China had sent 29 medical expert teams to 27 countries and offered assistance to 150 countries and four international organizations as of May 31, according to the white paper.
China has provided two batches of cash support totaling US$50 million to the World Health Organization (WHO), it added.
READ MORE: UN calls for response to socio-economic impacts of COVID-19
It also assisted the WHO in purchasing personal protective equipment and establishing reserve centers of supplies in China, and helped its COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to raise funds in the country, according to the document.
Local governments, enterprises, non-governmental organizations and individuals in China have donated materials to more than 150 countries and regions, and international organizations through various channels, added the white paper.
GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF HEALTH FOR ALL
Calling for building a global community of health for all, State Council said in the white paper that China believes that all countries should make the choice that is right for the interests of all humanity and the wellbeing of the future generations.
Countries should support each other and join hands to contain the spread of the virus, and protect the health and wellbeing of people across the globe, it said.
WORLD TO EMERGE FROM DARK MOMENT
China firmly believes that as long as all countries unite and cooperate to mount a collective response, the international community will succeed in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the white paper.
The world will "emerge from this dark moment in human history into a brighter future," it said.
China grieves for those who have been killed and those who have sacrificed their lives in the fight, extends the greatest respect to those who are struggling to save lives, and offers true moral support to those who are infected and receiving treatment, according to the document.
