China’s Covid cases at record high, Beijing resorts to regional lockdowns | World news
Standing firm with its much-criticized zero-Covid policy, China plunged deeper into the coronavirus quagmire as it reported a record 31,444 infections on Wednesday with many of its cities, including Beijing, opting for regional lockdowns to keep the virus in the middle of the worst winter weather. .
Faced with a surge in cases in Beijing, and the first deaths from the virus in months, government officials have implemented some restrictions in many areas, including shops, schools and homes. the restaurant is closed.
The National Health Commission reported 31,444 local infections on Wednesday, up from 29,317 cases recorded on April 13 during the height of the lockdown in Shanghai where more than 25 million people were confined to their homes for months. that caused public protests.
Also, the growing anxiety in the capital Beijing, especially the sprawling Chaoyang district, the home of the country’s top leader, in addition to popularity as the caseload in the area has climbed to 1,648, perhaps the highest in recent times.
As the virus cases continued to climb for the past two weeks, city officials began the lockdowns of large apartment blocks and commercial buildings, confining people to their flats.
Among those confined to their homes are some Indian families who have been told not to come out until November 27.
They prepare food at their door.
Officials here are at loggerheads over sharp spikes in the rise of Covid cases following last month’s 20th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party that re-elected President Xi Jinping, who is a staunch advocate of the zero-Covid policy.
Apart from Beijing, major epidemics were reported in Guangzhou, and Chongqing along with Jinan, Xian, Chengdu and Lanzhou.
As the periodic lockdowns of cities over the past two years led to the slowdown of the Chinese economy, the International Monetary Fund has entered into a debate over Beijing’s strict zero-Covid policy asking the government to revise its coronavirus policy. to stop the disruption of the company. prisons.
The IMF’s annual health assessment of China’s economy, the world’s second largest, this week identified the Covid-19 pandemic, a shrinking property market, and external demand as major risks.
China needs an “overhaul” of its zero-Covid strategy to get its economy back on track while relying on market reforms to lift production and deliver medium- and long-term growth, Gita Gopinath, first deputy director of The IMF said.
It will help Beijing to increase the vaccination rate, especially among the elderly if it really wants to strike a balance between economic growth and preserving lives and health, Gopinath told the Hong Kong Institute of based on the South China Morning Post.
“We need to maintain vaccinations at a high level and deal with the issues that may come up by having enough anti-infection medicine to help, and having maximum health capacity,” said Gopinath.
China says most of its population is vaccinated against Covid but large chunks of the elderly population are being left out due to concerns over the impact of vaccines on their health.
