Delta strain pushes up China's virus count

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – China reported a jump in coronavirus cases on Tuesday as the Delta variant spreads in the country.

A total of 71 new infections were recorded over the past day, pushing the overall tally to 92,676, including 4,636 deaths, daily Global Times reported.

The eastern province of Jiangsu accounted for 31 of the cases, according to the report.

Officials have blamed the highly transmissible Delta strain for a recent outbreak in Jiangsu and its capital Nanjing.

Some 112 cases have been recorded in the province in recent days and infections have also spread to at least five other provinces, the report said.

Local authorities have ramped up nucleic acid screening tests in a bid to detect positive cases at the earliest possible stage.

Curbs have also been imposed on movement of people in the region, with long-distance and tour bus routes halted. Delivery services, including for food, have also been stopped.

China, the world’s most populous country, currently leads the global count in COVID-19 vaccinations, having administered over 1.5 billion doses to date.