Global pandemic's 2nd wave 'likely to peak in December’

As many parts of the world face a rebound in COVID-19 cases, with almost all European countries tightening their anti-epidemic measures and local media claiming the second wave of the pandemic has begun, Chinese medical experts predicted that the latest wave is likely to peak in December and January 2021, but will be less worrisome than the first wave.

With the arrival of fall and winter in the northern hemisphere, coronavirus has gained fresh momentum as temperatures drop, leading to an inevitable rebound in infections around the world.

The amount of virus deposited in Europe and the US is very large, which explains the growing number of confirmed cases. Europe reported 100,000 daily COVID-19 cases for the first time on Thursday, surpassing the numbers in the hard-hit US. France is one of the hardest-hit countries in the second wave in Europe. It reported another 102,925 confirmed cases last week, the country's one-week high. Paris, Marseille and the overseas territory of Guadeloupe have also been put on maximum alert in recent weeks, leading to the closure of bars and cafes. However, the experts predict that India may soon overtake the US in the number of confirmed cases.

Countries in Asia, including China and Japan, are easing their epidemic prevention and control measures after they took stringent measures since the first wave of the outbreak, and have started to recover from the crisis.

With the largest crowds seen since the pandemic hit the country, China has withstood the test, as no new domestic cases were reported during the holidays.

The Japanese government is also planning to lift its current travel ban for 12 countries and regions - including China - starting November. The country reported 438 cases on Sunday, much less than its high of 1,726 on July 30

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