Illustrative image (Photo: Xinhua)

The Chinese CDC presented data at a closed-door meeting of the WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution on Tuesday.  

According to the Chinese delegation's analyses, the subvariants BF.7 and BA.5.2 of the omicron virus were dominant locally and accounted for 97.5% of the local infections based on genome sequencing.  

At a press conference in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the WHO maintains contact with China to understand the epidemic situation in China. He emphasized the role of vaccinations, especially booster shots, in helping to reduce severe cases and hospitalizations for COVID-19.