China puts three million people under confinement
Following a spike in locally transmitted coronavirus infections in China, at least 11 regions in three provinces have been confined. Nearly 3 million people have been isolated to stop the spread of the virus.
The country had largely controlled the virus but a sharp increase in cases in recent weeks has caused further closures, travel restrictions and multiple rounds of mass testing.
On Sunday, according to a statement by the National Health Commission of China (NHC), 109 cases were reported, of which 93 were indigenous infections. 54 were in Hebei Province, 30 in Jilin, 7 in Heilongjiang and 2 in Beijing.
Many local governments do not talk about closure but are taking similar measures, asking residents not to leave their homes, banning vehicles and strictly controlling inter-provincial roads to prevent movement.
A commercial traveller is believed to be the cause of multiple infections, a 45-year-old man who took part in a market promotion related to the health sector. He was identified as a carrier of the virus last Tuesday and yesterday became a confirmed case.
The man had travelled to three Jilin cities from neighbouring Heilongjiang province by train and bus and gave four lectures at two health clubs between 8 and 11 January.
He caused a total of 102 direct and indirect infections there, including 79 people who attended the talks and another 23 were his close contacts, according to the official Global Times.
An investigation into the health centres where the workshops took place is underway to determine whether their operations constitute illegal commercial activities. They sometimes market products that claim to increase longevity and have been accused of targeting vulnerable groups in China.
In north-eastern China, in Heilongjiang province, local authorities have imposed a lockdown on all five regions. In Jilin Province, there have been restrictions in its two regions. And in northern China, the Hebei authorities have imposed restrictions on four of its regions.
China has reported 88,336 cases of coronavirus, including 4,635 deaths, so far. Worldwide, more than 95.05 million cases and more than 2.03 million deaths have been reported.
