COVID-19 Resurgence in Some Areas Following China's Eased Quarantine Policies... Lockdown Again?

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] After considering the COVID-19 situation stabilized and partially lifting lockdown measures in Beijing, Shanghai, and other areas, Chinese epidemic prevention authorities have started to reimpose lockdowns in some regions as infections resurged in Anhui Province and others.

According to Bloomberg and Global Times on the 4th, the National Health Commission of China announced that the daily number of infections in Anhui Province was 292 and 287 on the 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Since the easing of epidemic prevention policies by Chinese authorities began on the 26th of last month, a total of 857 infections have been reported in Anhui Province as of the 3rd.

In addition to Anhui Province, infections continue to occur in Jiangsu Province, Shandong Province, Zhejiang Province, Liaoning Province, and Shanxi Province. Bloomberg reported, citing city authorities, that most of the cases in these regions involved people who had visited Anhui. In response, epidemic prevention authorities have conducted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on residents in areas with cluster infections such as Anhui Province and imposed movement restrictions, including requiring a negative PCR test certificate within 48 hours when leaving administrative districts.

The Global Times, a sister publication of the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper People's Daily, stated, "This infection occurred just days after the quarantine period for overseas arrivals was shortened and domestic movement restrictions were eased," adding, "There are questions about whether epidemic prevention authorities need to strengthen control measures again."

Chinese epidemic prevention experts explained that there is no evidence directly linking this infection to the easing of control measures and that, since the zero-COVID policy is still in effect, the possibility of nationwide spread is low. An infectious disease specialist in Beijing told the Global Times, "COVID-19 has not yet ended, and overseas infection cases continue to spread, so the recurrence of COVID-19 is normal and inevitable," adding, "There is no evidence that the newly discovered infection cases are related to the recent easing of epidemic prevention measures."