Beijing struggling to maintain ‘zero Covid’

Hong Kong citizens have been told the latest Covid outbreak is the “most complicated, most serious” period for the city of the whole pandemic.

The announcement by the local Beijing government comes as Hong Kong leader John Lee tested positive for Covid after sitting next to Chinese president Xi Jinping unmasked at the Asia-pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

China is the only country in the world still pushing for a “zero Covid” scenario, with tight international border controls and stringent testing and lockdown regimes in areas with outbreaks of the virus.

The city reported 154 symptomatic new locally transmitted Covid-19 infections and 808 asymptomatic cases on Monday as authorities urged people to stay at home and encouraged companies to allow people to work remotely – while steering away from a full lockdown. The figure compared with 69 symptomatic cases and 552 asymptomatic cases a day earlier.