China Covid: Record cases as the virus spreads widely

• Now that daily infections have surpassed April’s record, outbreaks are occurring in a number of major cities.
• Despite strict measures intended to eradicate the virus, China has registered the greatest daily number of Covid cases since the outbreak started.
• It occurs when incidents of unrest are still being sparked by stringent lockdowns.

There are outbreaks in a number of significant cities, including the southern commercial hub Guangzhou and the capital Beijing.

The country reported 31,527 instances on Wednesday, exceeding the peak of approximately 28,000 cases reached in April, when its largest city Shanghai was placed under lockdown.

It occurs when incidents of unrest are still being sparked by stringent lockdowns.

The 1.4 billion-person nation of China’s zero-Covid policy has prevented deaths, but it has also taken a heavy toll on the economy and the lives of common people.

However, the country’s small relaxation of some of its Covid limitations just a few weeks ago also coincides with the rising surge of instances.

By reducing the length of the quarantine period for close contacts from seven days in a state facility to five days at home and stopping the tracking of secondary contacts, many more persons were able to skip the quarantine period.

Additionally, authorities have made an effort to avoid imposing broad lockdowns like those Shanghai experienced earlier this year.

However, in light of a recent increase in cases in Beijing as well as the first virus-related fatalities in months, authorities have already imposed some restrictions in a number of districts, closing stores, schools, and restaurants.

According to announcements made by officials, the 6 million residents of the central city of Zhengzhou will likewise be subject to a lockdown beginning on Friday.

It comes after tense demonstrations at a sizable manufacturing facility owned by iPhone maker Foxconn. For a “technical fault” in its payment processes, the company has apologised.

China is the only other big economy still working to eradicate COVID using lockdown procedures and mass testing.

However, 31 provinces are now reporting viral cases.

According to President Xi Jinping, the nation’s sizable senior population has to be protected. Only half of those over 80 have received their main immunizations, and vaccination rates are lower than in other wealthy countries.

Even if the number of illnesses in China is rising right now, it is still much lower than it was in many other sophisticated economies when the pandemic was at its worst.

Since the pandemic started, China’s official death toll has remained modest at slightly over 5,200.

In comparison to 3,000 per million in the US and 2,400 per million in the UK, that translates to three Covid deaths per million in China.

Also Read

Is it the RSV, flu, or COVID? A few traits can be used to differentiate between the illnesses

The three viruses, which are causing an illness wave across the country,...