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Coronavirus: China reports 61 new cases as it tries to contain growing Delta variant outbreak

  • New lockdowns imposed, some entertainment venues closed, and sporting events postponed
  • Wuhan will roll out mass testing of its entire population after it reported seven new infections

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Residents are vaccinated at a stadium in Nanjing, Jiangsu. The latest outbreak has now spread to more than 10 provinces. Photo: Xinhua
As the Delta variant spreads across China, authorities have imposed tougher Covid-19 restrictions and researchers are stepping up work on a booster shot to help contain the more transmissible strain.
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The latest outbreak that began in the eastern city of Nanjing, Jiangsu is the worst in China in months. It has now spread to more than 10 provinces, with over 350 cases reported since the first infections were detected among Nanjing airport staff on July 20.

Lockdowns have been imposed in hotspots and mass testing is under way, while travel curbs are also in place for some areas, some entertainment venues have been closed and some sporting and other events have been postponed.

There were 61 new cases reported across China on Monday, the National Health Commission said, 40 of them in Yangzhou, which neighbours Nanjing.

The Yangzhou cluster has been traced to an elderly woman who had travelled to the city from Nanjing and visited several mahjong parlours before she tested positive last Wednesday. Police in the city on Tuesday said they were investigating whether she had flouted pandemic rules, and several cities have closed down mahjong parlours and other entertainment venues.

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The outbreak has also reached Wuhan in Hubei province, where the first cases of the new coronavirus were detected in late 2019. Seven infections were reported on Monday and the city will roll out mass testing of its 11 million residents, while a residential compound has been locked down.

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