China Covid-19 cases hit record high as Beijing postpones ‘reopening’
Daily Covid-19 cases in China have hit a record high, cementing a fresh wave of concern that the country will not ‘open up’ after all.
Wednesday saw 31,527 cases recorded compared with an April peak of 28,000.
The figures are relatively small for the country of 1.4bn people.
Beijing’s controversial ‘zero-Covid’ policies were hoped to be eased somewhat in the coming weeks, including the rule which suspends flights from airlines that had brought a certain number of passengers who tested positive.
However, the country recorded its first Covid-19 death in six months on Sunday, which weighed on hopes that China may finally ease its pandemic restrictions.
Beijing has in recent days moved to confine some residents to their homes and ordered others to quarantine centres.
Restrictions have already been placed on shops, schools and restaurants in several districts in Beijing.
The city of Zhengzhou has also announced a lockdown for its 6m residents from Friday, officials announced.
The southern Chinese city of Guangzhou locked down its largest district on Monday, as it tries to tame a major coronavirus outbreak. The city has told residents they must present a negative test if they want to leave their homes until Friday.
China has recorded around three deaths to every on million people in the country, compared with 3,000 per million in the US and 2,400 per million in the UK.