China on Sunday reported its six-month number of new covid-19 infections, a day after fitness officials said they were sticking to strict coronavirus restrictions, likely disappointing investors’ recent hopes for an easement.
China on Saturday recorded 4,420 new COVID-19-borne infections, the National Health Commission said, the most since May 6 and compared with 3,659 new local cases the previous day.
While the number of cases is incredibly low by global standards, China has stayed true to a zero-covid-19 strategy just about three years after the pandemic that includes lockdowns, quarantines, regular testing, and a drastic reduction in inbound travel.
At a press conference on Saturday, fitness officials reiterated their commitment to “dynamic cleansing” of covid cases as soon as they appear.
China’s anti-Covid measures are “quite correct, in addition to the most economical and effective,” said disease official Hu Xiang. “We want to adhere to the precept of putting other people and lives first, and to the broader strategy of preventing imports from outside and internal rebounds. “
Chinese stocks soared last week on rumours of an imaginable relaxation of Covid restrictions, and media reports that some policy changes may be made soon.
However, many analysts said they expected a significant easing to begin ahead of China’s annual parliamentary consultation in March.
Goldman Sachs analysts said Saturday’s announcement showed that “the government will have to maintain its zero covid policy until all arrangements are completed. It will possibly take a few months, in our opinion,” they wrote, stating their expectation “basic. “It was for a reopening in the April-June quarter.
The southern city of Guangzhou continued to report a surge in infections, with 66 new symptomatic cases and 1,259 asymptomatic cases transmitted locally, to 111 symptomatic cases and 635 asymptomatic cases last day, the government in the city of nearly 19 million more people said. .
The Chinese capital, Beijing, last day reported 43 symptomatic and six asymptomatic cases, to 37 symptomatic cases and five asymptomatic cases.
However, the annual Beijing marathon was held on Sunday morning under strict covid protocols, having been cancelled for the past two years.
Some 26,000 attendees registered for the event, which began under a smog-filled sky in downtown Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The runners had to undergo PCR tests for 3 days before the race and not leave Beijing for seven days.
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