Beijing this Tuesday (22) recorded a record of new covid cases amid an epidemic that has forced restrictions in the city, such as the closure of schools and restaurants or the imposition of remote work.
Health officials said there have been several coronavirus outbreaks in China, recording 28,000 new infections on Tuesday, very close to the historic record since the start of the pandemic.
The main focuses are in Guangdong province and Chongqing city, with more than 16,000 and 6,300 new infections.
Cases in the capital have skyrocketed in recent days, from 621 on Sunday to 1,438 on Tuesday, a record for the city.
The world’s second-largest economy maintains a ‘covid zero’ policy that has yielded good results at the start of the pandemic, which included abrupt restrictions, large-scale testing and long-term quarantines.
But recent outbreaks are testing the limits of the strategy, and officials are hesitant to set limits, such as restrictions imposed for two months in April in Shanghai, which has shaken the economy and the international image of the financial centre.
Three Beijing seniors with comorbidities died from covid over the weekend, officials said, the first deaths from the pandemic in China since May.
While the capital avoided complete lockdown, authorities have quarantined several buildings and require a negative test within the past 24 hours to be allowed entry to most public places.
During the weekend, residents were advised to stay at home and not travel between counties.
Tourist attractions, gyms and parks were closed. Events with large audiences, including music concerts, have been cancelled.
On November 11, China announced the easing of some anti-covid measures to “optimize” the economic and social impact of health measures, such as the reduction of mandatory quarantine for travelers from abroad.
Some cities canceled large-scale Covid-19 testing last week, but others restarted the measure, citing difficulties in controlling the transmission of the ohmron variant.
Having canceled large-scale exams, the city of Shijiazhuang (north) introduced a partial lockdown.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.