China announces curbs to control fresh Covid-19 outbreak: All you need to know
The outbreak was traced to an elderly couple, who were in a group of tourists. It has since spread to various parts of China, including Beijing.
China is currently experiencing a spurt in its daily infections of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), as an outbreak, traced to a group of tourists, has led to authorities imposing a range of restrictions to bring the situation under control.
Here’s all you need to know on the prevailing situation:
(1.) In capital Beijing, people living in some higher-risk areas of the Changping district, have been asked not to leave their residential compounds. Physical classes in schools close to these areas have been suspended, while nearby business areas have been directed to halt operations. This week itself, six local cases, including some due to the highly transmissible Delta variant, were detected in the Chinese capital.
(2.) In the nearby Gansu province, long-distance bus services have been suspended in nearly a dozen cities. Trains connecting the provincial capital, Lanzhou, to Beijing have been halted, while only a single flight between the two cities is allowed. Some tourist attractions here have also been closed.
(3.) Tourism destinations have also been suspended in provinces such as Qinghai and Ningxia. In the former, officials at an airport have halted services for passengers transferring flights.
(4.) Travellers arriving from foreign countries, who have stayed in China for less than 28 days, will have to undergo tests for Covid-19 before entering Ningxia. Additionally, they will have to stay indoors for a week so that officials can monitor their health.
(5.) In Xinjiang, railway authorities have halted the loading of cargo destined for some regions in the province till the end of the month.
(6.) The latest outbreak was traced to an elderly couple, who were in a group of several tourists. The group started in Shanghai and, later, moved to different parts of the country. This led to the cluster spreading from north and north-western China to other areas, including Beijing.
(7.) On October 22, there were 50 fresh Covid-19 cases, including 38 locally transmitted infections, the National Health Commission said, adding that a day ago, 28 people tested positive. The new cases were from Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Ningxia and Yunnan.
(8.) The total tally of cases detected in the country, since the pandemic first broke out in December 2019, stands at 96,715. With no new fatality, the death toll remains unchanged at 4636.
(With agency inputs)