According to internal minutes from a meeting of China's National Health Commission, it is estimated that up to 248 million people, or nearly 18% of the population, have likely contracted COVID-19 in the first 20 days of December. This figure, if accurate, would surpass the previous daily record of around 4 million infections set in January 2022, highlighting a dramatic surge in cases amid the ongoing pandemic.

The recent estimates suggest that nearly 37 million individuals in China could become infected with COVID-19 in a single day this week, pointing to an exponential increase that could make this outbreak the largest in the world. The rapid dismantling of Beijing's zero-COVID restrictions has led to the unrestricted spread of highly contagious Omicron variants, particularly impacting a population that is largely unvaccinated and with low levels of natural immunity.

This surge in COVID-19 cases comes amid ongoing concerns about healthcare capacity and the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns, particularly in provinces like Sichuan where over half of the residents are reportedly ill. As the situation evolves, the Chinese government faces mounting pressure to manage the outbreak and address public health concerns effectively, as this could have far-reaching implications for both the country and global health dynamics.