China is fighting its largest COVID-19 outbreak, which is being caused by the highly transmissible Delta form, with some locations barring admission by persons from a northeastern city where illnesses have surged faster than elsewhere in the country in the last week.
Between Oct. 17 and Nov. 14, a total of 1,308 domestically transmitted diseases with verified symptoms were detected on the mainland, surpassing the 1,280 local cases registered during the summer Delta outbreak, according to Reuters calculations based on official statistics.
This is China’s largest Delta outbreak, with 21 provinces, regions, and municipalities affected. Although it is lesser than many previous epidemics in other countries, Chinese authorities are eager to stop the spread as part of the government’s zero-tolerance policy.
A dozen province-level regions were able to contain their outbreaks within weeks due to the rapid implementation of a complex set of controls, including rigorous contact tracing, multiple rounds of testing of people in high-risk areas, the closure of entertainment and cultural venues, and restrictions on tourism and public transportation.
However, Wu Liangyou, an official with the National Health Commission, told a Saturday news briefing that the northeastern city of Dalian is fighting the illness.
Since Dalian’s first local symptomatic patients from the latest outbreak was reported on Nov. 4, the city of 7.5 million people has detected an average of about 24 new local cases a day, more than any other Chinese cities, according to reports.
