COVID-19 pandemic in China basically over: senior Chinese expert

(ECNS) -- The COVID-19 pandemic is basically over in China, said Liang Wannian, head of China's COVID response expert panel under the National Health Commission on Thursday.

"China has withstood the impact of the latest round of COVID-19 pandemic and established a relatively good herd immunity," Liang said at a press conference.

"Considering the characteristics of the virus itself, it can be said that the COVID-19 pandemic has basically come to an end, but it has not been completely over yet," he said.

Currently, sporadic and localized outbreaks of COVID-19 infections still exist in China, he added.