The number of daily Covid cases in China increased to its highest level in more than six months as outbreaks spread around the country and health officials vowed to maintain the country's rigorous virus restrictions. The nation reported 5,436 instances on Sunday, the largest since May 2 when Shanghai was still under lockdown for several months and a 27% increase from the day before.
As the outbreak in the capital continues, Beijing has closed schools in its most populated district and ordered pupils to study from home. According to social media posts, several schools in the Chaoyang district, which is home to corporate headquarters and embassies, stopped offering traditional classroom instruction as of Monday. However, there has been no official government announcement. For Sunday, Beijing recorded 55 new infections.
Chinese health officials' comments over the weekend dashed hopes that the country might begin to soften its zero-tolerance policy against the virus, which had been stoked by unconfirmed social media posts last week. Given the severity of recent outbreaks, China would "unwaveringly" uphold its present viral regulations, National Health Commission officials declared during a much-anticipated briefing on Saturday.
“Previous practices have proved that our prevention and control plans and a series of strategic measures are completely correct,” Hu Xiang, an official at the NHC’s disease prevention and control bureau, told reporters. “The policies are also the most economical and effective.”
The southern manufacturing hub of Guangzhou found 1,935 cases. Haizhu, the downtown district where most of the cases were detected, is currently under a three-day lockdown announced Saturday, as local authorities struggle to reach zero transmission of the virus.
