China to reopen borders, scrap quarantine for international travellers from Jan 8
1 year, 11 months ago

China to reopen borders, scrap quarantine for international travellers from Jan 8

Deccan Chronicle  

Beijing: Days after it faced nationwide anti-government protests against its stringent zero-Covid policy, China in a major shift of its coronavirus response policies has announced that it will scrap quarantine for international travellers from January 8 as it reopens its borders and comes out of international isolation after nearly three years. China will cancel inbound quarantine for international arrivals starting from January 8, 2023, it said. These announcements come at a time when the country is grappling with a sudden spurt in coronavirus infections fuelled by the Omicron variant after the Xi Jinping regime relaxed its stringent zero-Covid policy earlier this month following a wave of anti-government protests. COVID-19 has been managed as a top category 'A' infectious disease since 2020, putting it at par with bubonic plague and cholera, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

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History of this topic

COVID-19 infections not problematic, experts say
4 months, 1 week ago

COVID-19 infections not problematic, experts say

China Daily  

The number of people in China being infected with COVID-19 is fluctuating reasonably and won't be a burden on medical resources or the public, experts said. However, the National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases said the percentage of people catching flu and testing positive for COVID-19 rose from 8.9 percent in early July to 18.7 percent late last month. "COVID-19 …

Amendment to improve health, quarantine measures
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Amendment to improve health, quarantine measures

China Daily  

Visitors line up for check in at Beijing Daxing International Airport. Chinese lawmakers on Friday passed an amendment to China's Frontier Health and Quarantine Law to prevent cross-border transmission of infectious diseases and resolve major public health threats. The General Administration of Customs, China's top customs authority, should also keep upgrading or streamlining quarantine procedures based on monitoring and risk …

Revealed: US and China sought to create virus in 2018 similar to Covid
11 months ago

Revealed: US and China sought to create virus in 2018 similar to Covid

Daily Mail  

Bombshell new documents shed light on a shady 2018 project between US and Chinese scientists to create a novel virus with the same rare features seen in Covid. In initial proposals for DEFUSE, the lab work was to be done in a biosafety-level 2 lab, which researchers said would appeal to federal grant-makers as 'highly cost effective' despite the fewer …

‘Not by novel virus’: What China said on ‘mysterious pneumonia’
1 year ago

‘Not by novel virus’: What China said on ‘mysterious pneumonia’

Hindustan Times  

A pneumonia outbreak in China has alerted the world including the World Health Organization which sought more information about the situation from the country. Medical staff in protective suits treat a patient with pneumonia On Sunday, China's health ministry asked local authorities to increase the number of fever clinics amid the latest crisis. "Efforts should be made to increase the …

No ‘unusual’ virus behind rising Pneumonia cases China has clarified, reveals WHO
1 year, 1 month ago

No ‘unusual’ virus behind rising Pneumonia cases China has clarified, reveals WHO

Firstpost  

Since mid-October 2023, the World Health Organization has been monitoring data from Chinese surveillance systems showing an increase in respiratory illness in children in northern China China has reiterated that no unusual or new pathogens have been detected in the upsurge in child respiratory illnesses in the north, the WHO said on Thursday after putting pressure on Beijing for detailed …

China's pneumonia scare: Transparency please
1 year, 1 month ago

China's pneumonia scare: Transparency please

Live Mint  

China, where covid broke out in November 2019, is in the spotlight again. The World Health Organization has asked the country for details on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children. In a recent statement, the WHO noted an increase in influenza-like ailments compared to the same autumn of the past three years in China’s …

Spike in illnesses isn’t a new pathogen, China reassures WHO
1 year, 1 month ago

Spike in illnesses isn’t a new pathogen, China reassures WHO

Salon  

An outbreak of respiratory illnesses in China has sparked alarm, but the sudden rise in sickness is not related to a new virus, according to Chinese health authorities. So far, the data suggests that there’s nothing out of the ordinary, but both the WHO and China have been criticized in the past for not being entirely transparent about the COVID-19 …

On China pneumonia outbreak, scientists caution to not press ‘pandemic panic button’
1 year, 1 month ago

On China pneumonia outbreak, scientists caution to not press ‘pandemic panic button’

Hindustan Times  

Leading scientists urged caution over fears of another pandemic on Thursday after the World Health Organization requested more information from China on a rise of respiratory illnesses and pneumonia clusters among children. The standard wording of the alert echoed the first-ever notice about what would become COVID-19, sent on Dec. 30 2019: "Undiagnosed pneumonia - China." "I am not going …

What is the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China?
1 year, 1 month ago

What is the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China?

Al Jazeera  

The WHO has asked China for more information on the undiagnosed respiratory illness that has spiked since October 2023. As China experiences its first winter without strict COVID-19 restrictions since the outbreak of the pandemic three years ago, a wave of respiratory illnesses is sweeping across the country. On Wednesday, the WHO asked China to release information on the recent …

Is COVID making a return to China this winter?
1 year, 1 month ago

Is COVID making a return to China this winter?

Firstpost  

China’s leading respiratory illness expert Zhong Nanshan has warned of a minor COVID-19 surge in the winter and urged the elderly and vulnerable populations to get vaccinated as soon as possible Concerned about an increase of COVID-19 infections in the current winter season, Chinese experts have issued an alert and advised vaccination for vulnerable and old groups. The Chinese Centre …

China on ALERT over likely COVID-19 relapse ahead of winter
1 year, 1 month ago

China on ALERT over likely COVID-19 relapse ahead of winter

India TV News  

COVID-19 alert: Ahead of the winter season, an alert has been sounded across China about the relapse of COVID-19 infections and experts have asked elderly and vulnerable populations to get vaccinated. The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention showed that a total of 209 new severe COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths caused by COVID-19 were reported across the country …

This country is finally reopening after Covid. But it still requires a one-week quarantine
1 year, 3 months ago

This country is finally reopening after Covid. But it still requires a one-week quarantine

CNN  

CNN — North Korea has announced it will allow its citizens living abroad to return home in an easing of its coronavirus-era border controls. The country has decided to “adjust the anti-epidemic degree in reference to the eased worldwide pandemic situation,” according to the State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters. Recent moves by North Korea, which closed its borders in early …

China braces for new wave of XBB Covid variant, could see 65 million cases weekly
1 year, 7 months ago

China braces for new wave of XBB Covid variant, could see 65 million cases weekly

India Today  

China is bracing for a massive wave of coronavirus cases, Bloomberg reported citing a senior health adviser. The new wave of the pandemic would likely witness a peak towards the end of June, with the country likely to report around 65 millions infections weekly. By the end of this month, the country is likely to report 40 million infections in …

Large-scale COVID reemergence 'unlikely' despite uptick in cases
1 year, 7 months ago

Large-scale COVID reemergence 'unlikely' despite uptick in cases

China Daily  

China Daily| Updated :2023-05-19 The risk of a new large-scale COVID-19 outbreak in China in the short term is minimal, despite a recent uptick in new infections, according to health experts. Wang Liping, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a group interview that the recent increase in new cases is unlikely to overwhelm …

Learn from missteps in Covid’s early days
1 year, 7 months ago

Learn from missteps in Covid’s early days

Hindustan Times  

Covid-19 is no longer a public health emergency, the World Health Organization declared last week, roughly 1,200 days after it first learnt of a new coronavirus spreading through Wuhan, China. Still, WHO’s word is a strong determinant in global health discourse and on this count, the agency fell short in its mission, especially in the early days of the pandemic. …

China to remain alert even as WHO declares COVID-19 global emergency over
1 year, 7 months ago

China to remain alert even as WHO declares COVID-19 global emergency over

Firstpost  

A top Chinese health official said that despite the World Health Organisation ending the worldwide emergency designation for COVID-19, the virus is still dangerous and China will continue to monitor it while boosting vaccination rates among high-risk groups. According to Liang Wannian, head of China’s COVID-19 response expert group under the National Health Commission, the warning status being lifted by …

Many Asian Nations Seeing Covid Rise, India, Singapore on List. Are Countries Planning Curbs?
1 year, 8 months ago

Many Asian Nations Seeing Covid Rise, India, Singapore on List. Are Countries Planning Curbs?

News 18  

A recent spike in Covid-19 cases is seen among Asian nations with the fresh wave exerting pressure on the healthcare systems. India, on the other hand, has touched daily cases of 10,000, the highest in nearly eight months, while Indonesia’s caseload is near a four-month high, Bloomberg reported. Medical experts have said the virus’ new XBB.1.16 variant could be driving …

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives
1 year, 9 months ago

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives

LA Times  

An elderly patient uses a ventilator in the hallway of the emergency ward in Beijing in January. Chinese state media claimed the decision to open up was based on “scientific analysis and shrewd calculation,” and “by no means impulsive.” But in reality, China’s ruling Communist Party ignored repeated efforts by top medical experts to kick-start exit plans until it was …

China opens borders to tourists after 3 years of restrictions
1 year, 9 months ago

China opens borders to tourists after 3 years of restrictions

The Hindu  

China will, starting March 15, 2023, fully reopen its borders and allow tourists back into the country after three years of pandemic restrictions. Foreigners “with valid visas issued before March 28, 2020 will be allowed to enter China”, the National Immigration Administration said in a notice, adding that it had “decided to adjust policies of foreigners’ visas and entry from …

U.S. to relax COVID testing rules for travelers from China as early as Friday
1 year, 9 months ago

U.S. to relax COVID testing rules for travelers from China as early as Friday

LA Times  

The Biden administration is preparing to relax COVID-19 testing restrictions for travelers from China as soon as Friday, according to two people familiar with the decision. The restrictions were put in place Dec. 28 and took effect Jan. 5 amid the surge in China after the government sharply eased pandemic restrictions and as U.S. health officials expressed concerns that their …

China dismisses FBI statement on COVID-19 lab leak theory
1 year, 9 months ago

China dismisses FBI statement on COVID-19 lab leak theory

Firstpost  

Beijing: For the second day in a row, China on Wednesday dismissed U.S. suggestions that the COVID-19 pandemic may have been triggered by a virus that leaked from a Chinese laboratory. Responding to comments by FBI Director Christopher Wray, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the involvement of the U.S. intelligence community was evidence enough of the “politicization of origin …

FBI chief confirms Covid-19 originated from lab incident in Wuhan
1 year, 9 months ago

FBI chief confirms Covid-19 originated from lab incident in Wuhan

Deccan Chronicle  

Washington: The Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday confirmed that the Covid-19 pandemic originated from a lab incident in Wuhan, China. "FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed that the Bureau has assessed that the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic likely originated from a lab incident in Wuhan, China," tweeted the FBI. This development comes after new intelligence had …

Covid-19 pandemic likely originated from a lab incident in China, tweets FBI
1 year, 9 months ago

Covid-19 pandemic likely originated from a lab incident in China, tweets FBI

India TV News  

FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic likely originated from a lab incident in Wuhan even as China on Tuesday pushed back at renewed suggestions that the pandemic could have been the result of a lab leak, saying it has been “open and transparent” in the search for the virus’ origins. "FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed that the …

China says it’s been ‘open and transparent’ on COVID origins
1 year, 9 months ago

China says it’s been ‘open and transparent’ on COVID origins

Associated Press  

BEIJING — China on Tuesday pushed back at renewed suggestions that the COVID-19 pandemic could have been the result of a lab leak, saying it has been “open and transparent” in the search for the virus’ origins. Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy assessed with “low confidence” that the pandemic that was first detected in the central Chinese city of …

It’s confirmed! China Lab leak triggered Covid pandemic, but was it an accident?
1 year, 9 months ago

It’s confirmed! China Lab leak triggered Covid pandemic, but was it an accident?

Live Mint  

The coronavirus pandemic most likely was caused by a leak in a Chinese laboratory, a classified intelligence report of the US Energy Department has revealed, according to the Wall Street Journal. This report nonetheless, affirms that the covid pandemic was a leak, an accident and not part of Chinese biological-weapons program, the people who have read the classified report said …

The resurgence of COVID-19 needs to be tackled scientifically
1 year, 10 months ago

The resurgence of COVID-19 needs to be tackled scientifically

China Daily  

A medical staff administers a second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine for a resident through nose at a temporary vaccination site in Haidian district, Beijing, capital of China, Dec 17, 2022. Data from Feb 16 shows that only 1.1 percent of people in China had tested positive after nucleic acid testing nationwide, down from 29.2 percent during the peak; visits …

China says 200 million treated for COVID since November, pandemic ‘decisively’ beaten
1 year, 10 months ago

China says 200 million treated for COVID since November, pandemic ‘decisively’ beaten

LA Times  

Commuters during the morning rush hour in the central business district of Beijing on Thursday. China says more than 200 million of its citizens have been diagnosed and treated for COVID-19 since it lifted strict containment measures beginning in November. With 800,000 of the most critically ill patients having recovered, China has “decisively beaten” the pandemic, according to notes from …

No new Covid variants emerged during China's recent outbreak: Lancet study
1 year, 10 months ago

No new Covid variants emerged during China's recent outbreak: Lancet study

India TV News  

No new Covid-19 variants have emerged in China during the recent surge in infections since the country ended its zero-Covid policy, according to an analysis of cases in Beijing published in The Lancet. The study suggests two existing Omicron sub-variants, BA.5.2 and BF.7, among the most dominant variants in Beijing during 2022, accounted for more than 90 per cent of …

No new Covid variants during recent breakout in China: Lancet study
1 year, 10 months ago

No new Covid variants during recent breakout in China: Lancet study

India Today  

New coronavirus variants did not emerge during the recent outbreak of cases in China, said a study published in the medical journal, The Lancet. Samples of 350 locally acquired infections and 63 imported cases were studied during a five-week period beginning in November 2022 - shortly after China abruptly overturned its strict zero-Covid policy. Further, China also administers inactivated whole …

COVID-19 update: China faces challenge due to flawed containment policies, ineffective vaccines, says Report
1 year, 10 months ago

COVID-19 update: China faces challenge due to flawed containment policies, ineffective vaccines, says Report

India TV News  

China COVID-19 update : China is facing a significant challenge in the form of COVID-19, due to the Chinese Communist Party's "flawed and regressive containment policies and ineffective domestically produced vaccines," GeoPolitica.info reported. China's COVID-19 containment strategy has affected Chinese people and has caused major discontent among people in the country, as per the GeoPolitica.info report. Vaccines manufactured in China …

‘In Dec 2022, new Covid infections exceeded 70 lakhs per day’, says China
1 year, 10 months ago

‘In Dec 2022, new Covid infections exceeded 70 lakhs per day’, says China

Live Mint  

China Covid case update: The Chinese authorities have informed that the daily number of Covid cases in the east Asian country had hit a peak of 7 million reported cases per day during December last year. The figures published in China's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention website said, "around December 22, 2022, the number of infected people and the …

’Not afraid of the virus’: Wuhan turns page on Covid, three years on
1 year, 11 months ago

’Not afraid of the virus’: Wuhan turns page on Covid, three years on

Live Mint  

Residents of China's Wuhan said Monday they were hopeful for the future and no longer afraid of Covid-19, three years after the city was locked down over what was then a mysterious virus. But life is now back to normal for many across the globe and after almost three years of gruelling lockdowns and mandatory mass testing, Beijing last month …

Decoding China’s COVID-19 Policy U-Turn
1 year, 11 months ago

Decoding China’s COVID-19 Policy U-Turn

The Diplomat  

On November 30, several districts in the southern hub metropolis Guangzhou took the lead in lifting a large number of COVID-19-related lockdowns, as well as suspending testing requirements. In face of this, local and provincial administrations – in adherence to official party doctrine concerning “zero COVID” – turned to lockdowns and mass testing campaigns as desperate measures in tackling the …

China logs nearly 13,000 Covid deaths in a week
1 year, 11 months ago

China logs nearly 13,000 Covid deaths in a week

The Hindu  

China reported nearly 13,000 Covid-related deaths in hospitals between January 13 and 19, after a top health official said the vast majority of the population had already been infected. The death toll came a week after China said nearly 60,000 people had died with Covid in hospitals in just over a month -- but there has been widespread scepticism over …

China Reports 70% Rise In Weekly Covid Hospitalisation, Highest Since Pandemic Outbreak: WHO
1 year, 11 months ago

China Reports 70% Rise In Weekly Covid Hospitalisation, Highest Since Pandemic Outbreak: WHO

ABP News  

The World Health Organization’s weekly report on Thursday showed China reported a large jump in Covid-19 hospitalisations in the week up to January 15. This is the highest weekly figure China has recorded since the virus first emerged more than three years ago, the WHO noted, according to the news agency Reuters. However, the global body said it is still …

China says critical COVID cases have peaked as holiday travel surges
1 year, 11 months ago

China says critical COVID cases have peaked as holiday travel surges

The Hindu  

The number of COVID patients needing critical care in China's hospitals has peaked, health authorities said on Thursday, as millions travelled across the country for long-awaited reunions with families, raising fears of fresh outbreaks. There has been widespread scepticism over China's official COVID data since it abruptly axed anti-virus controls last month that had shielded China's 1.4 billion people from …

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases
1 year, 11 months ago

Hong Kong to scrap isolation rule for new COVID-19 cases

Firstpost  

For most of the pandemic, Hong Kong has aligned itself with China’s zero-COVID strategy, requiring those who tested positive to undergo quarantine. Many residents once had to be sent to hospitals or government-run quarantine facilities even when their symptoms were mild Hong Kong: Hong Kong will scrap its mandatory isolation rule for people infected with COVID-19 from 30 January as …

China COVID-19 update: WHO appeals to release more information on coronavirus infections
1 year, 11 months ago

China COVID-19 update: WHO appeals to release more information on coronavirus infections

India TV News  

China COVID-19 update: The World Health Organization has appealed to China to keep releasing information about its wave of COVID-19 infections after the government announced nearly 60,000 deaths since early December following weeks of complaints it was failing to tell the world what was happening. The announcement on Saturday was the first official death toll since the ruling Communist Party …

Almost all of Beijing residents to get Covid by January end: What a study shows
1 year, 11 months ago

Almost all of Beijing residents to get Covid by January end: What a study shows

Hindustan Times  

Nearly all of Beijing’s 22 million residents will be infected with Covid by the end of January, a new study found. Covid In China: People queueing to buy medicine amid the Covid-19 pandemic in Beijing, The study reflects the rapid spread of China's Covid outbreak as infections rise after Beijing abruptly relaxed its ‘zero-Covid’ policy in December. The rapid spread …

COVID-19 update: China reports nearly 60,000 coronavirus deaths since December 2022| DETAILS
1 year, 11 months ago

COVID-19 update: China reports nearly 60,000 coronavirus deaths since December 2022| DETAILS

India TV News  

China COVID deaths : China today reported nearly 60,000 deaths in people who had COVID-19 since early December following complaints the government was failing to release data about the status of the pandemic. The death toll included 5,503 deaths due to respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 and 54,435 fatalities from other ailments combined with COVID-19. The National Health Commission said …

World Health Organization restates call for COVID-19 data from China as US provides 'radical transparency' on Omicron outbreak
1 year, 11 months ago

World Health Organization restates call for COVID-19 data from China as US provides 'radical transparency' on Omicron outbreak

ABC  

The World Health Organization has reiterated the need for China to share more data on its explosive COVID-19 outbreak, while praising the United States for "radical transparency" in its efforts to battle a new sub-variant. Key points: The World Health Organization says COVID-19 deaths in China remain heavily under-reported Meanwhile, the US has been praised for its transparency as Omicron …

China reopens its borders View From India
1 year, 11 months ago

China reopens its borders View From India

The Hindu  

Thousands of Chinese travellers on January 8 returned home for family reunions – some delayed by as long as three years – as China finally opened its borders and dismantled the last remnant of its “zero-COVID” regime. China’s opening of its borders after three years will likely have many ramifications for India and the world – economically, politically, and from …

Nations tighten Covid restrictions as China reopens its borders. Top 5 updates
1 year, 11 months ago

Nations tighten Covid restrictions as China reopens its borders. Top 5 updates

Hindustan Times  

Several countries are likely to see a surge in Chinese travellers as the country rolls back its quarantine guidelines for inbound travellers. The world's populous country, which is reeling under the impact of Covid spike, is entering the Lunar New Year this month leading millions to travel within the country from megacities to countryside. Likewise, many countries are giving an …

People's health is priority in COVID-19 fight
1 year, 11 months ago

People's health is priority in COVID-19 fight

China Daily  

Medical professionals vaccinate a senior citizen at her home in Huiwen township, Wenchang, Hainan province, in December. Since securing the strategic outcomes in the battle to defend Hubei province and its capital city of Wuhan, China has effectively tackled more than 100 cluster infections over the past three years, fighting different variants of the virus including the Delta and Omicron …

People's health is priority in COVID-19 fight
1 year, 11 months ago

People's health is priority in COVID-19 fight

China Daily  

Medical professionals vaccinate a senior citizen at her home in Huiwen township, Wenchang, Hainan province, in December. Since securing the strategic outcomes in the battle to defend Hubei province and its capital city of Wuhan, China has effectively tackled more than 100 cluster infections over the past three years, fighting different variants of the virus including the Delta and Omicron …

China enters new phase of COVID response
1 year, 11 months ago

China enters new phase of COVID response

China Daily  

BEIJING -- From Jan 8, China starts managing COVID-19 with measures designed for combating Class B infectious diseases, instead of Class A infectious diseases. Confronted with epidemic uncertainties, China has always been putting people's lives and health first, adapting its COVID response in light of the evolving situation. The fast-changing features of the virus and the complicated evolution of epidemic …

China enters new phase of COVID response
1 year, 11 months ago

China enters new phase of COVID response

China Daily  

BEIJING -- From Jan 8, China starts managing COVID-19 with measures designed for combating Class B infectious diseases, instead of Class A infectious diseases. Confronted with epidemic uncertainties, China has always been putting people's lives and health first, adapting its COVID response in light of the evolving situation. The fast-changing features of the virus and the complicated evolution of epidemic …

China enters new phase of COVID response
1 year, 11 months ago

China enters new phase of COVID response

China Daily  

From Sunday, China starts managing COVID-19 with measures designed for combating Class B infectious diseases, instead of Class A infectious diseases. Confronted with epidemic uncertainties, China has always been putting people's lives and health first, adapting its COVID response in light of the evolving situation. The fast-changing features of the virus and the complicated evolution of epidemic response posed serious …

Travelers rush to take advantage of China reopening
1 year, 11 months ago

Travelers rush to take advantage of China reopening

Associated Press  

BEIJING — After years of separation from his wife in mainland China, Hong Kong resident Cheung Seng-bun made sure to be among the first in line following the reopening Sunday of border crossing points. On a visit to the station Sunday morning, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee said the sides would continue to expand the number of crossing points …

China reopens borders in final farewell to zero-COVID
1 year, 11 months ago

China reopens borders in final farewell to zero-COVID

The Hindu  

Travellers began streaming across land and sea crossings from Hong Kong to China on January 8, many eager for long-awaited reunions, as Beijing opened borders that have been all but shut since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. After three years, the China is opening its border with Hong Kong and ending a requirement for incoming travellers to quarantine, dismantling …

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