Virus resurgence expands lockdown in China

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Amid a rise in locally transmitted coronavirus infections in China, at least 11 regions in three provinces have been put under lockdown to stem the spread of the virus as of Monday, according to local reports.

According to a statement by China’s National Health Commission (NHC), 109 infections were reported on Sunday which included 93 indigenous cases -- 54 in the Hebei province, 30 in Jilin, seven in Heilongjiang, and two in Beijing.

China, where the first cases of the virus were reported in December 2019, is witnessing a resurgence of the virus since early this month, mostly in Hebei.

The country has reported 88,336 coronavirus cases, including 4,635 deaths, so far.

Local authorities in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province have imposed a lockdown in its five regions, while the Jilin province imposed restrictions in its two regions, the Chinese daily Global Times reported.

Similarly, in northern China, Hebei authorities imposed a lockdown in four of its regions.

The NHC figures showed Heilongjiang reported seven cases and 81 asymptomatic cases while Jilin registered 30 infections, including 17 asymptomatic ones on Sunday.

COVID-19 has spread across the world, with more than 95.05 million cases reported, including over 2.03 million deaths.