China hits half-year high in daily coronavirus cases
- The 76 infections reported on Monday are the most since January and include 40 domestic transmissions
- Most local cases are in Nanjing where residents are being tested for a second time
Beijing has a zero-risk approach to the virus, which was first reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. It locks down cities and performs mass testing whenever small clusters appear.
“Of the 40 domestic cases, 39 were from Jiangsu province and one from Liaoning,” the National Health Commission said on Monday, adding there had been no new deaths.
“Health officials have found 57 positive cases after testing all residents in Nanjing during the first round,” the local government said on Sunday.
Contact tracing also found five people who travelled through Nanjing airport and tested positive after arriving in neighbouring Anhui and three other provinces, sparking fears that the cluster could lead to a fresh nationwide outbreak.
This prompted Nanjing officials to announce a second round of mass testing for all residents starting Sunday to identify patients who may take longer than usual to show symptoms.
Beijing has rushed to curb recent mini-outbreaks in border provinces, aware of the risks of the fast-spreading Delta variant.