China facing biggest COVID-19 outbreak caused by Delta variant, affecting 21 regions

China is dealing with its largest COVID-19 epidemic, which is being caused by the highly transmissible Delta form. Some localities have barred individuals from entering a northeastern city where diseases have spread quicker than elsewhere in the country in the last week. Between October 17 and November 14, a total of 1,308 domestically transmitted diseases with proven symptoms were recorded on the mainland, exceeding the 1,280 local cases from a summer Delta outbreak, according to Reuters estimates based on government data. This is China's largest Delta epidemic, affecting 21 provinces, regions, and municipalities. 

Although it is lesser than many previous outbreaks in other countries, Chinese officials are eager to stop the spread in accordance with 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, the northeastern city of Dalian is fighting the illness, according to Wu Liangyou, an official with the National Health Commission, who spoke at a news conference on Saturday.

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According to Reuters calculations, since the first local symptomatic patients from the newest epidemic were recorded in Dalian on November 4, the metropolis of 7.5 million people has identified an average of nearly 24 new local cases per day, more than any other Chinese city. People arriving from Dalian were quarantined at centralised facilities for 14 days before wandering freely in select cities around Dalian, including Dandong, Anshan, and Shenyang. As of November 14, mainland China recorded 98,315 confirmed coronavirus cases with symptoms, including domestically and internationally transmitted viruses. There have been 4,636 fatalities.

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• China
• COVID
• Delta variant
• tourism