China: Covid cases upsurge; schools, parks shut again

• Image Credit: Internet

• Oct 22, 2021 | moderator

Beijing: China reported an upsurge of Covid cases in the last few weeks, forcing the government to reinstate previous Covid restrictions in various provinces of the country, where cases were visibly high. The Xi Jinping-led administration announced to have cancelled hundreds of flights operations, imposed closure of schools and institutions. Rampimg up mass testing of SARS-CoV-2, Beijing has maintained border shutdowns and imposed lockdowns, contrary to most countries’ decisions to relax strongest curbs as cases worldwide have plateaued once again in the recent past.

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The country reports several positive Covid cases among in a group of several tourists who were in a cross-provincial touring across China. Reports suggest that the group of tourists visited Shanghai before flying to Xi’an, Gansu province and Mongolia. Subsequently, dozens of cases are apprehended and linked to their visit in at least five provinces, including Beijing.

Further, Chinese authorities announced mass COVID testing and shutdown of tourist locations, entertainment and amusement sites, and affected zones. Local media agencies have reported that residential complexes and housing societies may witness stringent lockdowns, especially in Lanzhou with a 4 million population.

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Moreover, many schools have been shut fearing rise in Covid cases among the students. Parks, public places have been shut too.

China's National Health Commission stated that there exist 13 fresh COVID infections as of Thursday. Lanzhou, Gansu provinces reported six new cases and five of them confirmed to have had a travel history to Inner Mongolia's Ejin Banner. Virus gene sequencing results showed that COVID infection in Beijing was caused by Delta Variant and showcased a similar COVID transmission chain in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces in Northwest China.