China won’t report asymptomatic COVID cases in further shift

By DAKE KANG
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — China says it will stop reporting asymptomatic COVID-19 cases since they’ve become “impossible” to track with mass testing no longer required. That’s another step in the country’s uncertain exit from some of the world’s strictest antivirus policies. China last week announced its most significant easing yet of antivirus measures and has begun to see what appears to be a rapid increase in new infections. That has raised concerns that its health system could become overwhelmed as those in other countries did during early COVID waves. So far, though, many of those newly sick are staying home and there has been little evidence of a surge in patient numbers. But it’s difficult to get a clear picture of the virus’s spread.