China reports zero Covid-19 deaths for first time since January
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China has reported zero new Covid-19 deaths for the first time since January, despite struggles with ongoing outbreaks including in Wuhan where dozens of residential blocks have been locked down just one day before travel restrictions were set to be lifted, The Guardian reports.
On Tuesday, the National Health Commission reported 32 new cases across China, all of which were arrivals from another country. There were also 30 new asymptomatic cases reported. However, for the first time since the commission began publishing its figures in January, there were no new deaths reported.
The sliver of promising news came as mainland China and Hong Kong strengthened restrictions on foreign arrivals amid growing number of imported and asymptomatic cases.
All of the 32 cases involved travellers arriving from overseas, compared with 38 imported cases a day earlier. The overall number of imported infections so far stands at 983, the health authority said.
Wuhan, capital of central Hubei province, reported only two new confirmed cases in the past 14 days. It is due to allow people to leave the city on Wednesday for the first time since it was locked down on Jan. 23 to curb the spread of the virus.
With mainland China well past the peak of infections in February, authorities have turned their attention to imported cases and asymptomatic patients, who show no symptoms but can still pass on the virus.
China has shut its borders to foreigners as the virus spread globally, though most imported cases have involved Chinese nationals returning from overseas. International flights have been slashed to around 3,000 a day in April from the tens of thousands previously.
It also started testing all international arrivals for the virus this month.
The total number of confirmed cases in mainland China stood at 81,740 as of Monday, while 3,331 people have died, according to the authority.
Wuhan, where daily fatalities had fallen to the single-digits since late March, had no new deaths on Monday.
China reported 30 new asymptomatic cases on Monday, nine of which involved incoming travellers. Of the new asymptomatic cases, 18 were in Hubei province.
As of Monday, 1,033 asymptomatic patients were under medical observation.
