Covid-19: China battles multiple outbreaks driven by ‘stealth Omicron’, logs 5,280 new cases | 5 updates
China saw more than 5,200 new Covid cases for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic as a country that struggled several outbreaks driven by a very contagious ‘stealth omicron’ variant, said report. Some cities have undergone locking, forcing fresh restrictions. Although not a large number compared to globally, it is a significant calculation for Beijing which has maintained a low number for most of the last two years through strategies “zero covid” which is now challenged.
These are top five updates on surge in Covid cases in China:
> Biggest spike after two years
Before Tuesday, China had seen only two days when the Covid case exceeded 5,000: well during the initial outbreak in Wuhan, Central China. Wuhan is the city where Covid-19 was first reported. The country reported a one-time surge of more than 15,000 cases on February 12, 2020, according to a report by Bloomberg, after health authorities including cases previously cannot be diagnosed amid a test of the test kit. This was followed by 5,090 cases the next day.
> Surge driven by ‘stealth Omicron’
The rapidly spread variant known as “Stealth Omicron” was reported to cause unprecedented waves in Covid Daily cases in China. ‘STEALTH OMICRON’ – or sub-variant BA.2, is 1.5 times more contagious than original omicron strains, study advice.
> More lockdowns kick in
Lockdowns in China spread with the city of Langfang, located just 55 kilometers from Beijing, joining Shenzhen and Shanghai in forcing restrictions to stem the recent surge in Covid-19 infection. Some provinces have stopped their stopped public transportation network when millions of residents were ordered to limit their movements.
> China relying on zero-tolerance strategy
Mainland China has seen a relatively few infection since the initial Wuhan outbreak as the government has adhered to the strategy of zero-tolerance, which is focused on termination of transmission of Coronavirus by relying on strict locking and compulsory quarantine for anyone who has come into contact with anyone who has touched a positive case.
> Business supply chain faces blow
The key aimed at stemming the spread of Coronavirus cases in China interferes with business raft operations, with more than 40 million people restricted to leaving their homes. Apple’s biggest maker. The iPhone stops production on the Shenzhen site while the output has been disrupted at a car manufacturing plant for Toyota Motor Corp and Volkswagen AG, Bloomberg news agency reported.
