AMN/ WEB DESK
China is facing yet another COVID-19 outbreak raising questions over the sustainability of the country’s stringent zero-COVID strategy. The fresh outbreak in Fujian province on China’s southeastern coast has infected more than 60 people, including 15 elementary school pupils since 10th of September.
This outbreak comes on the heels of a previous Delta-driven outbreak in the eastern province of Jiangsu that emerged in late July, which infected over 1,200 people and spread to more than half of China’s provinces. The Jiangsu outbreak that was contained only about two weeks ago was seen as the biggest challenge yet to China’s uncompromising zero tolerance policy on COVID-19 with some of the world’s strictest and stringent containment measures.
Putian city, most seriously affected in Fujian province has closed cinemas and gyms, sealed off some entries and exits to highways and told residents not to leave town as it battles a local COVID-19 outbreak. In Xianyou county of Putian, public transport and taxi services were suspended, as were buses and trains leaving the county. China’s state broadcaster said yesterday that the virus situation in the city of Putian is serious and complex and it is very likely more new cases will emerge in communities, schools and factories.
Besides Putian, since 10th of September, seven locally confirmed cases have been found in Quanzhou city and one in Xiamen, both in Fujian province. A man who completed 21 days of mandatory quarantine upon returning to China from overseas has been identified as the likely source of a new outbreak. He had tested negative for the virus nine times during the quarantine, before testing positive 37 days after entering China, according to state media.
China’s border restrictions and mandatory quarantine requirements for overseas arrivals are among the strictest in the world. Surprisingly, China still does not allow people from 11 countries including India to enter its border on the pretext of COVID prevention even though it keeps getting imported cases through passengers from other countries.