Beijing sees record new cases of outbreak, fuelling lockdown angst

BEIJING reported a record number of new Covid-19 cases for its current outbreak, reviving concern that China’s capital may face a broad lockdown as the authorities seek to stamp out community spread of the virus.

The city recorded 99 infections for Sunday, up from 61 on Saturday. The total is still low, but the spike is one of the biggest since the outbreak started, with the case tally mostly hovering around 50 a day. 

The growing outbreak in Beijing underscores the challenges of China’s “Covid Zero” approach, with the unprecedented shutdown of Shanghai providing a cautionary tale of how early mistakes could lead to rapid spread of a virus China is still trying to wipe out. The strategy has become increasingly controversial in the face of highly transmissible variants, leaving the country isolated from the rest of the world despite the harsh containment measures, even as officials look for ways to minimise the economic fallout. 

There were 802 infections reported China-wide for Sunday, from 824 on Saturday. That was the first time the tally was below 1,000 since March 9, and is down from a daily peak of almost 30,000 on Apr 13. Shanghai reported 558 cases on Sunday, a decrease from 622 on Saturday. No new infections were found outside of government quarantine in the financial hub. 

China’s Covid cases have shown a steady decline in recent days and, while Shanghai’s situation is improving, there is pressure to prevent a rebound, National Health Commission official Lei Zhenglong said at the briefing on Monday (May 23). Beijing has seen both virus clusters and sporadic infection, and there is risk of transmission in some areas, he said.

Containing Covid has come at a crushing social and economic cost for China. Millions of Shanghai residents have been confined to their homes for weeks, and even though the lockdown is easing, many restrictions remain in place. China’s ongoing pursuit of Covid Zero means the nation is likely to remain in a loop of lockdowns and swift hard-line responses until the Chinese Communist Party congress later this year, where Presiding Xi Jinping is expected to secure an unprecedented third term in power. 

Leaders have pledged financial support to reach the country’s growth targets and are weighing other measures to curtail the damage to China’s international reputation. Beijing is considering a reduction in the amount of time new arrivals to the city must spend in quarantine — a week in a hotel, down from two, plus a week at home — at the behest of international companies that have struggled to bring in expatriate workers, the South China Morning Post reported. 

While Shanghai’s flareup is coming under better control, the city has reported hundreds of deaths, mostly among unvaccinated elderly residents. Only 62 per cent of people aged 60 or above have been fully vaccinated, a municipal health commission official said Monday. That’s below the national rate of about 82 per cent.

In Beijing, officials reiterated that Omicron is still spreading, with new clusters found through mass testing across the city in recent days. They urged companies and residents to comply with work from home requirement set out for a handful of districts and asked people to avoid gathering, excursions and visiting friends to minimize the risk of further spread.

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