COVID-19 resurgence in Beijing could be attributed to super spreaders

BEIJING: Experts have speculated that a Covid-19 super spreader might have been the reason behind the rapid increase in the number of infections in the past few days. Yang Zhanqiu, deputy director of the pathogen biology department at Wuhan University, told the state media, that the rapid increase to 200 infections, all linked to the Xinfadu fresh food market in southwest district of Fengtai in Beijing, indicates the likelyhood of the presence of a super spreader in the system. This could be an infected person passing on the infection to others. Total infections in the capital city have gone up from none to 205 between June 11 to June 20.

The doubt was raised by the World Health Organisation as well. Michael Ryan, WHO Emergency Chief, said that the superspreader might have amplified the disease in the city and it was essential to avoid that initial spread in in order to avoid community spread.