2 new deaths, fears of return of Covid Zero curbs amid China resurgence

Two new Covid deaths were reported from China’s capital city of Beijing, heightening concern the city could see a return of tougher restrictions.

China registered more than 27,000 new infections on Sunday, of which 2,365 were symptomatic and 24,730 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday as per news agency Reuters. The country had earlier reduced the compulsory quarantine times for international arrivals as it planned to ease some of its stringent curbs. Now however, shopping malls and offices in several parts of the country remained shut on Sunday in another sign that China’s reopening may yet be waylaid.

27,000 cases, 2 new deaths, gyms & parks shut: Top 5 points on China’s Covid resurgence

> On Saturday, China saw its first Covid death since the Shanghai lockdown earlier in the year, with a man, 87, dying from the virus in Beijing. He was the nation’s first documented virus-related death since May 26, when Shanghai authorities reported one fatality, as per a Bloomberg report.

> Another two deaths were reported for Sunday – a 91-year-old woman and 88-year-old man. The recent deaths have created fear and panic amongst the residents as many anticipate that the fatalities will make the government revert to tighter Covid Zero curbs.

> China had reported more than 27,000 new Covid-19 infections on Sunday. The capital – Beijing – recorded over 900 new cases. The financial hub of Shanghai reported six symptomatic and 33 asymptomatic infections, as per the local health authority. More than 8,000 new daily cases were reported in the southern manufacturing hub of Guangzhou. Chongqing reported 231 new symptomatic locally transmitted Covid-19 infections and 5,898 asymptomatic cases, government authorities said.

> While the tallies are low compared with most other countries, fresh infections follow a recent uptick in cases in China after months of few infections being reported.

> China has, in recent days, moved to confine some residents to their homes and ordered others to quarantine centres. In Beijing, some of the largest shopping malls were closed Sunday, while others reduced opening hours or banned table service at restaurants. Gyms and parks were reported shut too. Several offices in the business and diplomatic hub of Chaoyang District asked companies to tell their employees to work from home.