It's a double whammy for China as Covid cases continued to surge while the anti-government protests spiraled in many parts of the country on Sunday.
China registered a fifth straight daily record of 40,347 fresh infections on Sunday, of which 3,822 were symptomatic and 36,525 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission was cited as stating by news agency Reuters..
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The country counts its asymptomatic and symptomatic cases separately. As it registers new records, the capital city of Beijing and other major cities have been enveloped in tensions due to demonstrations. The government's hardline strategy - Zero-Covid policy - to contain the spread has stoked public frustration and hundreds of people have taken to the streets.
Here are the top points on the Covid situation in China:
1. Of the 40,347 infections reported in China on Sunday, 3,822 were symptomatic and 36,525 were asymptomatic. No fresh deaths were seen and the toll remained unchanged at 5,233, Reuters reported.
2. Health authorities in Shenzhen tightened restrictions on public spaces on Sunday amid a surge in infections. Restaurants have been reportedly ordered to limit customers to no more than 50 per cent of the venue’s capacity, while places including cinemas, libraries and art galleries were also subjected to the limit.
{{/usCountry}}2. Health authorities in Shenzhen tightened restrictions on public spaces on Sunday amid a surge in infections. Restaurants have been reportedly ordered to limit customers to no more than 50 per cent of the venue’s capacity, while places including cinemas, libraries and art galleries were also subjected to the limit.
{{/usCountry}}3. Stocks and oil slid sharply on Monday as protests against the Chinese government's zero-Covid policy raised worries about the management of the pandemic in the country. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slumped 2.2 per cent, pulled lower by heavy selling in Chinese markets, as per a Reuters report. The Hang Seng Index of Hong Kong, China's CSI300 Index declined 2.22 per cent and the yuan fell in morning trade.
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4. In Shanghai, people will be required to have a negative PCR test within the past 48 hours before entering restaurants, bars and malls and other such places from Tuesday. On Sunday, people in Beijing, braving the cold, gathered for an anti-lockdown rally. Many of the protesters were seen holding blank white papers, which is a symbolic protest against censorship, news agency AFP reported.
5. One of the major triggers for the stir is said to be a fire in an apartment building in northwestern China's Xinjiang region that killed 10 people and injured several others. Locals have blamed curbs for hampering the rescue operations.
(With agency inputs)