Beijing expands lockdowns as cases top 100 in new outbreak

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities locked down a third neighborhood in Beijing on Tuesday as they rushed to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus outbreak that has infected more than 100 people in a country that appeared to have largely contained the virus.

The resurgence in China come in contact with highlighted public health them. About 9,000 workers expert calls for vigilance as at the market were many nations move forward tested previously. with easing virus restrictions The initial spread happened to revive their among market workers, economies. Wu Zunyou, the chief

New Zealand, which epidemiologist at the Chinese hadn’t seen a new case in Center for Disease three weeks, said it is investigating Control and Prevention, a case in which told state broadcaster two women who flew in CCTV. He said that authorities from London to see a dying detected the outbreak parent were allowed to early enough to be confident leave quarantine and drive they can contain it. halfway across the country “For those who were before they were tested infected, they will start and found to be positive. showing symptoms either And the Philippines reimposed tomorrow or the day a strict lockdown on after tomorrow,” he said. the city of Cebu after a rise “So, if there’s no sharp in cases. increase of newly reported

China reported 40 cases tomorrow more coronavirus infections or the day after tomorrow, nationwide the outbreak this through the end of Monday, time will basically stay including 27 in at the current scale.” Beijing, bringing the total Authorities locked to 106 in the nation’s down seven residential capital since Thursday. At compounds in Beijing’s least one patient was in Xicheng district, where critical condition and the first case was confirmed two were in serious condition. on Thursday. Four cases were They also barring residents also reported in neighboring of areas considered Hebei province, high-risk from leaving with three linked to the Beijing and banned Beijing outbreak. taxis and car-hailing services

Most of the cases from taking people have been linked to the out of the city.

Xinfadi wholesale food The number of passengers market, and people lined on buses, trains up around the city for and subways will also be massive testing campaigns limited and all are required of anyone who to wear masks. had visited the market in Fresh meat and seafood the past two weeks or in the city and elsewhere in China was also being inspected, though experts have expressed doubt the virus could be spread via food supplies. Nonetheless, Chinese media reports said that salmon had been pulled from shelves in 14 cities including Beijing after the virus was found in a sample taken from a salmon chopping board at Xinfadi market.

The market has been closed for disinfection, as has a second market where three cases were confirmed. Residential communities around both markets have been put under lockdown, affecting 90,000 people in a city of 20 million.

China had relaxed many of its coronavirus controls after the ruling Communist Party in March declared victory over the virus, which was first detected the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

The two women in New Zealand had been allowed to leave quarantine for compassionate reasons and traveled from Auckland to Wellington by car. Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said that as part of their travel plan, they had no contact with any people or any public facilities on their road trip.

The women remain in isolation in Wellington, and tests were being conducted on passengers and staff on their flights, others at the Auckland hotel they initially quarantined at and a family member they met in Wellington.

South Korea, also battling to prevent a resurgence of the virus, reported 34 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. Half were in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area where officials have been scrambling to stem transmissions linked to leisure and religious activities and low-income workers who can’t afford to stay home.

The Seoul government has so far resisted calls to reimpose stronger social distancing guidelines, fearing further damage to the fragile economy.

Besides Cebu, Philippine officials retained quarantine restrictions in Manila for another two weeks as infections continued to spike.

“The battle with COVID isn’t over, ”Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said.

Turkey, which has seen an uptick in cases since easing restrictions in early June, made the wearing of face masks mandatory in five more provinces on Tuesday. “We cannot struggle against the virus without masks,” Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.

The epidemic continues to grow sharply in India, which recorded 10,667 new cases, taking the tally to 343,091. Health services in the worst-hit cities of Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai have been swamped by the rising infections. Nearly 10,000 people have died.