China sees a new surge in COVID-19 cases

A child undergoes a nucleic acid test for coronavirus in Wuhan on Sunday. Pic/AFP

China is seeing a new surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, despite its draconian "zero tolerance" approach to dealing with outbreaks.

The mainland on Monday reported 214 new cases of infection over the previous 24 hours, with the most, 69, in Guangdong bordering Hong Kong, which has been recording tens of thousands of cases per day.

Another 54 cases were reported in Jilin province, and 46 in the eastern province Shandong. In his annual report to the national legislature Saturday, Premier Li Keqiang said China needs to "constantly refine epidemic containment" but gave no indication Beijing might ease the highly touted "zero tolerance" strategy.

Li called for accelerating vaccine development and "strengthening epidemic controls" in cities where travellers and goods arrive from abroad.

"Zero tolerance" requires quarantines and lockdowns on entire communities and sometimes even cities when as few as a handful of cases have been detected.

55,96,981 No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours
44,64,04,737 Total no. of cases worldwide
60,00,394 Total no. of deaths worldwide

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