Covid-19 delta variant continues to spread in China, as measures mount

Beijing, Aug 10 (EFE).- The delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread in China, with a record of 108 infections by local transmission reported Tuesday, which authorities seek to appease with partial confinements, travel restrictions and mass tests in different points in the country.

These 108 positives represent a slight rebound compared to 94 on Monday, 75 on Saturday and 81 on Sunday, according to data provided Tuesday by the country’s National Health Commission.

Of the local cases reported today, 50 were detected in the eastern province of Jiangsu, the main source of the outbreak, attributed to the inadequate cleaning of an Air China plane from Russia carrying an infected person.

However, the country’s central provinces are now the hardest hit, with 37 new cases in Henan, 15 in Hubei and 16 in Hunan.

The outbreaks have not been fatal, but there are 54 serious cases – six more than on Monday – among the 1,702 infected still active throughout the country.

There is also concern about the situation in the city of Yangzhou, in Jiangsu, which accumulates 26 serious cases and six critical cases, mostly elderly patients who were infected in the frequently crowded halls of the popular Chinese board game of mahjong, according to local press.

Consequently, the provincial authorities have sent more than 4,000 health workers to the town, which has accumulated about 350 cases in the last three weeks, to treat the sick and help in the tasks to contain the virus.

Authorities responded to the outbreaks with multiple rounds of massive tests and partial confinements in areas it considers at risk, causing the number of patients under observation to go from 8,577 registered on Jul. 22 to the 49,980 registered to date.

Of the 15 cases reported today in Hubei, four were found in Wuhan, a city that last week diagnosed its first cases of local transmission after more than a year without reporting infections.

The neighboring town of Jingmen reported 22 cases Tuesday between local and asymptomatic infections with the consequent confinement of more than 2,000 residents and the suspension of public transport in some areas.

Meanwhile, Beijing accumulates three days without infections after confirming eight local cases last week, which does not prevent the restrictions to travel to the Chinese capital from areas where infections have been detected from continuing to be active.

Beijing recommends its residents not to leave the city “if it is not strictly necessary” and to strictly follow prevention measures, among which is to show a green code in tracking phone applications to enter public spaces or use taxis. EFE

jco/lds