A pandemic prevention worker wears a protective suit as he checks personal details of a woman lining up to get a swab test at a testing booth as outbreaks of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue in Beijing, China, November 3, 2022. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
BEIJING 鈥� China reported 14,878 new COVID-19 infections for Nov. 12, including a record number of new daily cases in capital city Beijing, as well as in manufacturing hubs Guangzhou and Zhengzhou.
The new cases come as industrial activity in Guangzhou and Zhengzhou has been disrupted by restrictions aimed at controlling outbreaks.
The number of daily cases in China rose from 11,950 on Nov. 11, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Sunday. Excluding imported infections, China reported 14,761 new local cases, up from 11,803 a day earlier.
Capital city Beijing reported a record 235 new daily cases, up from 116 the previous day, local government data showed.
Guangzhou, with a population of nearly 19 million people, reported 3,653 new locally transmitted cases 鈥� also a historic high. That was up from 3,180 cases the day before.
Zhengzhou city in the Henan province, home to Apple supplier Foxconn鈥檚 plant, reported a record 2,642 new daily cases. Foxconn has said it aims to resume full production in the second half of November, after operations were disrupted due to COVID prevention measures.
The record highs also come as official media reported that work to remove 鈥減op-up windows鈥� on smartphone health apps that prevent people from entering or returning to Beijing is 鈥渋n progress鈥� and in effect in many places. The health app requires a negative PCR test to allow unrestricted mobility.
NHC announced a slew of changes to China鈥檚 COVID curbs on Friday, easing some measures on travel, quarantine and lockdowns on businesses.
NHC said in a statement on Sunday that the COVID prevention and control situation remained 鈥渟erious and complex鈥�.
鈥淚t is necessary to maintain strategic focus, and scientifically and accurately do the work of epidemic prevention and control,鈥� it said.
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