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At its peak, China was reporting more than 140 new symptomatic cases a day, which, though a tiny proportion of its 1.4 billion population, marked a significant uptick in a country that for months had largely contained the spread of the virus.
But less than a month later, the outbreak is showing early signs of winding down. Numbers have fallen steadily with the country reporting six new locally-transmitted symptomatic cases on Tuesday, and six more on Wednesday.
The apparent turnaround stands in sharp contrast to many other countries still grappling with large Delta-driven outbreaks, including the United States.
China's falling caseload has been touted in state media as proof the country's strict zero-Covid control measures are working, despite facing criticism from some prominent Chinese public health experts.
The so-called "zero transmission" model, also seen in places like New Zealand and Hong Kong, has so far proved broadly effective in curbing widespread transmission. Many of these countries and territories have faced less severe outbreaks than other parts of the world, with fewer cases and deaths overall.
However, this approach requires punishing, oppressive measures that many argue are simply not sustainable in the long term, especially as new variants spread and other countries open back up. Experts say fortress territories will eventually have to shift away from this strategy -- they can't stay shut off from the world forever.
As of August 14, a total of 36 of China's 48 virus-hit cities reported no new infections for at least six days, according to NHC director Ma Xiaowei.