Covid outbreaks surge in China as authorities double down on disruptive, repressive curbs

Beijing: It is again in China, the zero-Covid policy has now forced the authorities to double down curbs and seal up buildings and lock down cities spanning from Wuhan to Xining in the northwest. The Asian nation where the pathogen first emerged in its Wuhan city almost three years ago, for the third straight day on Thursday saw more than 1,000 fresh infections nationwide.Covid curbs back in cities in ChinaThe new cases reported in China are modest compared to tens of thousands daily infections reported by the country forcing Shanghai to go for a complete lockdown earlier this year. However, the number of infections reported now are enough to trigger more curbs across the nation.Residents ordered to stay in their homesIn Hanyang district, which is known for its historic tourist attractions, around 900,000 residents on Wednesday have been asked to stay in their homes. An official said that the lockdown in the city could last until Sunday. All the non-essential businesses have been ordered to remain shut, while supermarkets and pharmacies have been exempted from the curb.On Thursday, Guangzhou sealed up several streets and neighbourhoods, forces people in their homes after the city appears to be at high-risk in a Covid resurgence that continued for the fourth week.Wihan reported 20 to 25 fresh cases of Covid-19 on a single day this week after which the local authorities has put more than 800,000 people in a district there to stay indoors until October 30.Wuhan suspends sale of porkAs per reports, sale of pork has been suspended in parts of Wuhan after one Covid-19 case was found which authoritues said was linked to the local pork supply chain.Shortage of food in XiningAs per social media posts, Xining has been facing acute food shortages and spike in price of essential goods as authorities in the city with 2.5 million population say that people raced to contain a Covid rebound after the week-long National Day holiday in the beginning of this month.To minimise the risk of transmission, some vegetable and fruit stores have been closed and put under quarantine, a government official said.Universal Resort theme park closeAs a preventive measure, the Universal Resort theme park in Beijing, which is partly owned by the US media giant Comcast has temporarily closed. The authorities did not specify as to when it would reopen, but have assured to refund and reschedule pre-booked tickets.What is China's zero-Covid policy?President Xi Jinping, who secured a historic third term in power, has signalled that China will continue to pursue its strict zero-Covid approach even as the measures have weighed on economic growth.Having its origin in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic in Wuhan, the China's Covid Zero policy includes lockdowns, mass testing and restrictions on travel to contain the spread of the contagious virus. However, this approach by the Jinping government is leading to widespread social and economic disruption.Notably, by April 2020, Wuhan eliminated the virus and for a long period there were no cases and lockdowns in the city. It was again in July this year that officials locked down the Jiangxia district that shelters almost 1 million people on the outskirts of Wuhan.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.