BEIJING (AP) – Chinese health authorities will test all 9 million people in the eastern city of Qingdao for coronavirus this week, the government announced Monday after finding nine cases linked to a hospital.
The announcement breaks a two-month streak of reports of virus transmission in China, although China has a tradition of not reporting asymptomatic cases. The ruling Communist Party has lifted most restrictions on travel and business but still monitors travelers and visitors to public buildings for signs of infection.
Authorities are investigating the source of the infection found in eight patients and a family member at Qingdao’s Municipal Chest Hospital, the National Health Commission said.
The entire city will be investigated in five days, the NHC said on its social media account.
In China, where the outbreak began in December, there have been 44 deaths and 85 cases, 78 plus cases, as well as nine suspected cases that have not been confirmed.
Four patients were found on Aug. 15 in the northwestern city of Urumqi in the Xinjiang region in the latest reported virus infection inside China. All cases reported thereafter were among travelers outside the mainland.
The ruling party took measures in April that cut off access to most of the cities of about 60 million people, including Wuhan, in central China.
Qingdao is a busy port and headquarters for companies including Haier, the company’s main manufacturing company, and Cincinnati Brewery. The government has given no indication that recent cases have been linked to travel or trade.
Passengers arriving in China from abroad are still required under a 14-day quarantine.
Other developments in the Asia-Pacific region include:
In the last 24 hours, 66,226 new coronavirus cases have been reported in India, bringing the country’s total to 1.1 million. The health ministry also recorded 816 deaths in the last 24 hours on Monday, bringing the total deaths to 109,150. A few new cases of the virus are being reported in India in mid-September while daily infections have touched a record high of 97,98,944 cases. That’s an average of more than 1,000,000 cases a day this month. Health experts have warned that the virus is likely to spread to congregations later this month and during major festivals in November. They also warn that respiratory illnesses are expected to increase in the coming winter months.
– Officials in the Indonesian capital have stepped in to ease stricter social sanctions despite a steady rise in cases across the country. Jakarta had earlier imposed massive social sanctions from April to June, then gradually eased them. The virus spread last month brought stricter restrictions to the city. Jakarta Governor Anis Basvedan said his administration decided to ease the ban from Monday because the spread of the infection had stabilized. President Joko Widodo urged local administrators to refrain from imposing lockdown measures, which could cause crippling economic damage to Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
– South Korea has confirmed new cases of coronavirus, moderate to the daily levels reported last week. The rise comes as officials eased social distance restrictions following the conclusion that the transition slowed after a resurgence in mid-August. The number of infections since the outbreak began has risen to 24,703, including 433 deaths, according to figures released Monday by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. South Korea relaxed its social distance guidelines from Monday, allowing high-risk businesses such as nightclubs and karaoke bars to open until they take preventive measures. Spectators will also be allowed in professional sporting events, although teams will initially be allowed to sell only 30% of the seats in the stadium.
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