News

Beijing races to contain ‘urgent and grim’ Covid outbreak as Shanghai lockdown continues



Beijing officials said at a news conference on Saturday that they were monitoring cases across multiple districts and involving students, tour groups and interior decoration workers. National health authorities said on Sunday morning there were 22 new cases locally.

“The city has recently seen several outbreaks involving multiple chains of transmission, and the risk of continued and undetected transmission is very high. The situation is urgent and grim,” the official said. City official Tian Wei told reporters on Saturday. “The whole city must act immediately.”

Pressure to contain the outbreak in the capital comes as cases continue to rise in Shanghai, despite an unsuccessful weekly lockdown that has shut down the financial hub. The city reported more than 20,000 new cases on Saturday, according to national figures released Sunday morning.

Shanghai officials on Sunday also announced 39 new deaths among Covid-19 patients. That number marks a record high since city officials first reported the death toll in the city’s ongoing outbreak on Monday, though questions have been raised. out about whether the number takes into account all deaths.

In Beijing, authorities mobilized to limit transmission as more than 20 cases were detected in the capital between midnight Friday morning and 4 p.m. Saturday, officials said. know. A middle school where multiple cases were found was closed Friday, with students and teachers in the district being asked to take several Covid-19 tests over the next week.

According to state media, certain communities in the same county are also placed under “administrative control,” using a term that often means residents are prohibited from leaving the area while they’re experiencing it. through the test.

Officials also warned parents against traveling outside the city due to the risk of reinfection.

Officials said screening would also be stepped up in tour groups, after cases were detected in a group of mostly elderly travelers who have now been quarantined. At least one village in Beijing’s suburban district linked to a positive case has been shut down amid mass testing.

The rush to contain the outbreak comes as across China fear that more stringent measures may be imposed as the country adopts a strict “zero-Covid” policy to eliminate the spread of the virus. virus during each outbreak.

That policy has faced its most serious challenge since March 1, when the highly infectious variant of Omicron caused several simultaneous outbreaks. The number of cases has increased to unprecedented levels in China, due to large outbreaks in Jilin and Shanghai provinces, northeastern China.

The lockdowns and enforced quarantines in Shanghai have caused angry and desperate among citizens, who struggled to have access to food and medical care. The city previously said it would not implement a citywide blockade, leaving many unprepared when officials quickly changed course late last month.
Restrictions have also spilled over into other regions with dozens of cities being rolled out some form of lock restriction, according to a figure earlier this month. New local cases were reported in 19 provinces on Saturday, according to national data.



Source link

newsofmax

News of max: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button
Immediate Matrix Immediate Maximum