As more instances are found via mass testing, China Covid outbreaks rise
Key Takeaways:
- Hundreds more infections were found in Anhui province, where two nations were already on lockdown, as China's viral cases continued to rise.
- After being under 50 for most of the preceding two weeks, infection rates have recently increased. The most current outbreak's epicenter, Anhui, reported 287 cases on Sunday.
- John Lee, the recently appointed chief executive of Hong Kong, said that a citywide, obligatory Covid testing program is not currently necessary.
Over the weekend, China's viral cases continued to grow, with hundreds more infections discovered in Anhui province, where two countries were already under lockdown.
The country reported 380 incidences on Sunday after 385 incidents on Saturday. Infection rates have lately risen after being below 50 for most of the previous two weeks. Anhui, the epicenter of the most recent outbreak, announced 287 cases on Sunday. Lockdown began on Friday afternoon in the northeastern Anhui county of Lingbi, where the bordering Si county conducted its sixth mass test on Sunday.
While previous outbreaks in the major cities of Shanghai and Beijing appear to have been contained, China's Covid-Zero aim is again being tested in the eastern parts of the country. On Sunday, 56 instances were reported in Jiangsu province near Shanghai.
Shanghai recorded three local occurrences on Sunday. One was found outside of the government's quarantine six days after the city reported that there were no community infections. Zhao Dandan, a vice-director of Shanghai's municipal health commission, cautioned that there is still a possibility that the number of Covid cases will rise in a briefing on Sunday. On Sunday, there were no brand-new cases in Beijing.
On Wednesday, President Xi Jinping reiterated the need to adhere to the Covid-Zero policy. According to him, loosening Covid regulations would put too many lives in danger in the nation with the largest population. China would prefer to temporarily slow down its economic growth to endanger its citizens' security and health.
Ao Ieong U, the secretary for social affairs and culture, said during a briefing on Sunday that Macau, which reported its first 2 Covid deaths of the epidemic on Sunday, wouldn't rule out locking down an entire city if its virus-control efforts fail to stop transmission. This week, the city will perform three additional rounds of large-scale testing, and 650 personnel from mainland China have already arrived to assist. 784 cases have been confirmed during the current outbreak, which began on June 18.
The city of Hong Kong's newly appointed chief executive, John Lee, stated that there is no imminent need for a citywide, mandatory Covid testing program. Still, he underlined the importance of lowering daily infections, which had reached their highest level since April.
Lee, who Xi swore in on Friday, told TVB on Sunday that the government has to conduct more laboratory nucleic acid testing for Covid but that, for the time being, this will not turn into a widespread, mandatory screening campaign.
The chief executive recognized the need to stop transmissions. Still, he left it unclear whether Covid Zero—the strategy used by mainland China, which uses lockdowns and massive testing campaigns to eradicate infections—would be the end aim.
Lee said his government was collaborating with Chinese authorities to eliminate the need for quarantines for visitors from Hong Kong to the mainland. He added that quarantine procedures for visitors arriving from abroad in Hong Kong could be changed to minimize problems.
The city reported 1,828 new Covid cases on Sunday, 147 of which were imported. At a briefing, health officials reported no new virus-related deaths. Three patients had bad conditions; one was in a critical condition, they reported.