According to a health official, the number of COVID-19 infections will rise in the next few days, and the pandemic's impacted regions will likely extend.
COVID-19 infections in China expected to increase in the coming days.
Delta Variant Causes Outbreak in China
In a recently published article in MSN News, the Delta variant from outside China is causing the current outbreak in China, according to National Health Commission official Wu Liangyou, who spoke at a press conference in Beijing on Sunday.
In the week beginning Oct. 17, the wave of illnesses spread across 11 provinces, according to Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the commission, who spoke at the briefing. According to Mi, the majority of the sick had traveled across many regions. He advised those in pandemic-affected regions to get into "emergency mode."
According to Zhou Min, a transport ministry official, certain towns in the provinces of Gansu, including its capital Lanzhou, and Inner Mongolia have ceased bus and taxi services due to the virus, per The Straits Times published on its website.
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China Confirms New COVID-19 Infections
According to the National Health Commission, China reported 26 new local confirmed COVID-19 infections on Saturday, including seven in Inner Mongolia, six in Gansu, six in Ningxia, four in Beijing, one in Hebei, one in Hunan, and one in Shaanxi. In Hunan and Yunnan, four more local asymptomatic cases were documented.
The pandemic has spread to three districts in Beijing, including Haidian, a scientific powerhouse, according to Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, who spoke at a press conference on Sunday.
Between Saturday midday and Sunday at 3 p.m., five additional confirmed local COVID cases and one asymptomatic case were recorded, according to Pang. Due to the virus, Beijing will postpone a marathon that was set to take place on Oct. 31. Furthermore, people from cities, where illnesses have been discovered, are now prohibited from entering or returning to the capital, according to a published report in Bloomberg.
Wuhan Marathon Postponed
The Wuhan Marathon, which had been scheduled for Sunday, was postponed at the last minute. The delay was made "to avoid the danger of pandemic transmission," according to organizers in a statement released late last week.
In a published article in inshorts, the marathon was scheduled to attract 26,000 people who will compete in courses around the central Chinese city where coronavirus was originally discovered in late 2019.
COVID-19 Vaccination in China
Meanwhile, China has distributed entire doses of COVID-19 vaccinations to around 75.6 percent of its population, according to National Health Commission spokeswoman Mi. Out of a population of 1.412 billion, 1.068 billion individuals have been vaccinated with the requisite doses.
Adults who have not had a booster injection in at least six months are being given them in China, with priority given to critical employees, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Antibodies evoked by vaccinations, particularly the most often used Sinovac and Sinopharm injections, have been observed to diminish within months.
People who had their initial two doses at least six months ago are now receiving COVID-19 vaccination boosters in a variety of Chinese regions and towns. After over 80 percent of the population has been vaccinated, the roll-out comes as new evidence suggests declining protection from inactivated vaccines, which are the most regularly used variety in China.
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