Beijing is on high alert after Covid-19 cases were detected at a school
Key Takeaways:
- According to city officials, Beijing is on high alert after ten middle school students tested positive for COVID-19 in a first round of testing on Friday.
- However, recent events in Shanghai have caused some to doubt if the strategy is worth the cost.
- According to local media, the government has ordered the suspension of in-person after-school programmes and classes in Beijing's Chaoyang neighbourhood.
According to city officials, Beijing is on high alert after ten middle school kids tested positive for COVID-19 in an initial round of testing on Friday.
City officials shut down the school for a week following the positive test findings. On Friday, the Chinese capital announced four additional confirmed cases, tabulated separately.
On Saturday, mainland China reported 24,326 new community-transmitted illnesses, the vast majority of which were asymptomatic cases in Shanghai, where a tight "zero-COVID" campaign has attracted international attention.
China has redoubled its efforts even in the face of the highly contagious omicron form. When faced with less transmissible variations, the zero-COVID policy prevented many fatalities and widespread epidemics through mass testing and harsh lockdowns that prevented people from leaving their homes.
However, recent events in Shanghai have prompted some to question if the strategy is worth the sacrifices. During a lockdown earlier this month, many inhabitants in the city struggled to obtain enough food supplies, and others were also unable to obtain drugs or medical assistance. After a hospital's medical personnel was quarantined due to an infection, some elderly people died.
In the central city of Wuhan, the nation is currently experiencing its worst outbreak since the pandemic began.
According to local media, the government has ordered the suspension of in-person after-school programs and classes in Beijing's Chaoyang area. To find out if there are any additional cases, the city government is initiating a round of mass testing.
City officials in Shanghai confirmed 12 new deaths on Saturday, all of whom were older patients with underlying ailments.