State media in China played down the severity of a surge of Covid-19 infections ahead of a briefing on Tuesday by its scientists to the World Health Organisation, which was hoping for a 'detailed discussion' on the evolution of the virus.
Officials have labelled travel entry curbs imposed on China as"simply unreasonable".
China's foreign ministry labelled travel entry curbs imposed by some countries as"simply unreasonable", saying they"lacked scientific basis". China's shift away from a"zero-Covid" policy that had been championed by President Xi Jinping followed protests that had marked the strongest show of public defiance during his decade in power and had coincided with the economy's slowest growth in nearly half a century.
"Severe and critical illnesses account for 3% to 4% of infected patients currently admitted to designated hospitals in Beijing," Tong Zhaohui, vice president of the Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, told the newspaper. Two leading scientists and members of the committee gathering on Tuesday said they would seek a"more realistic picture" of the situation in China. They did not comment further on the private meeting after it ended.
The United States, France, Italy and others will require Covid tests on travellers from China, while Belgium said it would test wastewater from planes for new variants.China will stop requiring inbound travellers to go into quarantine from 8 January. But it will still demand a pre-departure test.As Chinese workers and shoppers fall ill, concerns mount about near-term outlook for the world's second-largest economy, causing volatility in global financial markets.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
CORONAVIRUS TRANSPARENCY: China state media glosses over Covid wave severity ahead of critical WHO meetingThe nation has played down the severity of a surge of Covid-19 infections in the run-up to an expected briefing by its scientists to the World Health Organization, which is hoping for detailed data on the evolution of the virus.
Read more »
Which countries have imposed fresh Covid rules on travellers from China?Around a dozen countries have slapped fresh travel regulations on travellers from China, as the world's most populous nation faces a surge in Covid cases.
Read more »
Cop to appear in court on Tuesday after Durban shooting incidentAn off-duty police officer is behind bars after allegedly shooting two people at a New Year’s Eve party in Durban.
Read more »
Petrol and diesel prices: How much you'll be paying from midnight on TuesdayThe Department of Energy late last month confirmed the official petrol and diesel price changes for January 2023 - and it was EXCELLENT news!
Read more »
Warm to hot conditions in parts of SA on Tuesday | The CitizenThe South African Weather Service (SAWS) has forecasted warm to hot conditions in Limpopo, North West, Free State and Northern Cape on Tuesday. 🌞 weather
Read more »