The Covid-19 virus apparently hasn’t really subsided in some cities in China. The number of cases there even surpassed the record three months earlier. In order not to get worse, the government has implemented a lockdown.
China’s largest city, Shanghai, reported 47 new infections for Wednesday (12/10/2022), the most since July 13. The capital Beijing recorded 18 cases. Nationally, there were 1,406 new local cases, down from 1,709 the day before.
This prompts the lockdown measures to be carried out. Chinese authorities have closed schools and entertainment venues in five Shanghai districts, namely Changning, Putuo, Jiading, Yangpu, and Qingpu.
“At least five districts have closed entertainment venues, including cinemas, bars, and gyms, to eradicate the contagion,” according to a statement issued by the Shanghai Covid-19 prevention office quoted by the Straits Times.
Apart from Shanghai, major cities such as the port hub of Tianjin have locked down one district. South China’s largest city, Guangzhou, has closed schools in one area.
Not only the big city, the Zhengzhou area, the center of iPhone manufacturing, has secretly locked down at least two districts. The steel-industrial center city of Anshan also told all its residents to stay at home.
Though small in comparison to the number of cases internationally, the wave of infections occurred just days before the once-in-five-year Chinese Communist Party Congress. President Xi is expected to secure a third term at the forum.
Xi himself has made his ‘zero-Covid’ policy a cornerstone of his leadership. Despite the rising social and economic costs, his government continues to ramp up propaganda showing that this policy is for the best.
Meanwhile, from within the country, as of Thursday (13/10/2022) at 12.00 WIB, Covid-19 cases increased by 1,830 cases in the last 24 hours.
Thus, the total number of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia has reached 6,452,078 since the first case was announced by President Joko Widodo on March 2, 2020.
DKI Jakarta occupies the position with the addition of the most confirmed cases, namely 708 cases. Then, West Java with 279 cases, East Java with 196 cases, Banten with 161 cases, and Central Java with 132 cases.
Meanwhile, active cases increased by 103 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 17,226 active cases. Active cases are patients who are still confirmed positive for the coronavirus and are undergoing treatment in a hospital or self-isolation.
