Beijing reinstates virus controls as cases rise

BEIJING – China reported 49 new coronavirus cases on Monday as the capital reinstated measures to contain a resurgence.

Of the new cases, 36 were reported in Beijing, traced to a wholesale market that supplies much of the city’s meat and vegetables.

Ten of the other cases were brought from outside the country, and three were found in Hebei province just outside Beijing. The National Health Commission reported 177 people in treatment for COVID-19, while 115 were in isolation and under monitoring for showing signs of the illness or having tested positive without giving off symptoms.

China has reported 4,634 deaths from the virus among 83,181 confirmed cases.

The new cases reported in the past few days mark China’s highest daily total of coronavirus cases in two months, prompting Beijing to suspend the restart of some classes and reverse the relaxation of some social isolation measures.

India: India’s home minister has offered 500 railway carriages for use as makeshift coronavirus hospital wards as New Delhi struggles to contain a spike in cases. The capital has about 9,000 beds dedicated to COVID-19 patients in public and private hospitals, but a state government panel of experts has said it will need at least 15,000 beds by the end of June. The Health Ministry reported a jump of more than 11,000 new infections nationwide for a third consecutive day, taking the total number of recorded infections to more than 332,000. There have been 9,520 deaths.

Hong Kong: Disneyland will reopen Thursday after being closed since January. It will limit the number of visitors and will require masks and health forms and use social distancing. Activities that require close interaction such as photo sessions with Disney characters will remain suspended, the park said.

South Korea: Thirty-seven new cases of coronavirus were reported, bringing the total to 12,121 infections, including 277 deaths. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 25 of the cases came from the Seoul area, where health authorities are scrambling to trace infections linked to entertainment and leisure activities, church gatherings, warehouse workers and door-to-door sellers.