China's COVID-19 Outbreaks Continue

Medical worker collects a swab from a resident at a nucleic acid testing site in Lanzhou. © Reuters/STRINGER  

Reuters: China's COVID-19 outbreak grows as cities race to trace infections 

BEIJING, Oct 20 (Reuters) - China reported a fourth day of new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in a handful of cities across China, prompting alarmed local governments to double down on efforts to track potential carriers amid the country's zero-tolerance policy. 

A total of 17 new local cases were reported for Oct. 19, up from nine a day earlier, data from the National Health Commission (NHC) showed on Wednesday. The new cases were reported in eight cities and administrative divisions, more than four for Oct. 18, the bulk of which were in northern and northwestern China. 

Three separate cases were also reported in recent days in the south and southwest of China. Among the cases was one in the capital city Beijing, which is busy gearing up for its hosting of the 2022 Winter Games in February, where officials vowed stringent efforts against the virus. 

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Update: Parts of northern China brace for more COVID-19 lockdowns and curbs (Reuters)  

WNU Editor: The numbers that are being reported from China are still incredibly low. But the fear in Beijing is that if restrictions are lifted, these outbreaks will explode. 

My friends in China are telling me that this policy of having zero Covid cases is not sustainable and that it will need to change. It is damaging the country's economy and disrupting social peace. Their prediction is that after the Beijing Olympics are over (February 2022), Beijing will loosen restrictions, and will try to live with the disease.