BEIJING: Beijing faces a surge in COVID-19 infections over the past two weeks as the authorities eased -Zero COVID Policy curbs’ following the widespread protests. According to experts, the ease would lead to a rise in the infections through the winter.
China has so far reported no deaths. However as triking rise in infectiona is being reported across the country. On Tuesday, China reported 3,101 new symptomatic Covid-19 infections on Tuesday – as compared with 2,722 cases a day earlier. Currently, mainland China has confirmed a total of 386,276 cases with symptoms.
The nation’s overall fatalities since the pandemic began were revised to 5,241 after removing one death in Beijing.
Epidemiologists predict at least three waves of the virus to hit the country during winter. It is certain that the Chinese government was “under-prepared” as it decided to end its zero-COVID policy abruptly after people held protests across the country, a media house reported.
Hospitals are struggling, pharmacy shelves are stripped bare and crematoriums are overwhelmed in the wake of the Chinese government’s sudden decision last month to lift years of lockdowns, quarantines and mass testing.
Earlier on Monday, the US State Department on Monday said the surge of infections in China had becomed a matter of international concern.
“We know that any time the virus is spreading, that it is in the wild, that it has the potential to mutate and to pose a threat to people everywhere,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.