What is China's latest Covid situation? 5 points

China reported 3,101 new symptomatic Covid-19 infections on Tuesday - as compared with 2,722 cases a day earlier.

China on Tuesday reported no new Covid-19-related deaths even as the country is reportedly registering a massive surge in their daily cases - just a month after the Chinese government lifted nearly three years of lockdowns. According to the National Health Commission, China's total number of fatalities due to coronavirus stands at 5,241, reported Reuters.

A medical worker administers a second booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine for a resident in Beijing, December 17. The end to mandatory testing has made the toll of China's Covid surge difficult to track, with authorities last week admitting it is now "impossible" to tally how many have fallen sick, Reuters reported.(Ren Chao / Xinhua via AP)

Here are top 5 points on the Covid-19 surge in China:

1. China reported 3,101 new symptomatic Covid-19 infections on Tuesday - as compared with 2,722 cases a day earlier. A total of 3,049 new local cases were recorded - 393 more as compared to 2,656 infections on Monday. Currently, mainland China has confirmed a total of 386,276 cases with symptoms.

2. According to the National Health Commission, the country did not record any new Covid-19 related deaths. On Monday, China saw five Covid deaths.

3. Several World Health Organization (WHO) advisors have said that it may be “too early to declare the end of the Covid-19 pandemic emergency phase because of a potentially devastating wave to come in China”, reported Reuters.

4. A top scientist - Eric Feigl-Ding - on Monday warned that “over 60 percent of China's and 10 percent of the Earth's population will likely be infected over the next 90 days' and that the deaths will 'likely (be) in the millions”.

5. Meanwhile, the United States has indicated that it stands ready to assist China with its surging Covid-19 outbreak. "We're prepared to continue to support countries around the world, including China, on this and other COVID-related health support," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a daily press briefing. "For us, this is not about politics, this is not about geopolitics," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)