Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The number of Covid-19 cases in China reached the highest level since March 2020, Monday (17/1/2022). This comes just three weeks before the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Launch AFP, there are 223 more cases reported, including another 80 in the port city of Tianjin, and nine more, including a case of the highly contagious Omicron variant, appearing in the southern manufacturing hub of Guangdong.
Another 68 cases were reported across central Henan province, where a partial lockdown and mass testing have been rolled out for millions of residents.
The increase in cases also occurred after athletes and officials from various countries had begun to land in the capital ahead of the Olympics. Even so, they will be tightly controlled and will not come into direct contact with other residents.
On the other hand, after local Omicron cases were detected in Beijing over the weekend, the authorities also tightened regulations for arrivals from elsewhere in China.
The Chinese city is now demanding negative tests before the trip and follow-up tests after. Residents were also urged not to leave the capital for the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays. Some tourist sites have also been closed by the government.
Not only that, a senior health official told residents of the capital to avoid buying goods from abroad after local cases could be infected via international mail.
China, where the virus first emerged in late 2019, has implemented a strict policy of targeting zero Covid cases even as the rest of the world has reopened.
But his approach has come under continued pressure in recent weeks, even just as the Olympics are due to take place in Beijing.
Analysts have also warned China’s ongoing zero-Covid approach, which includes targeted lockdowns and travel restrictions, will further weigh on the economy.
China now has a total of 105,087 infections and 4,636 deaths, according to Worldometers data.
(tfa/tfa)
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