SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China reported an increase in new COVID-19 cases due to an increase in infections among inpatients in the northeastern province of Jilin, official data showed Monday.
The total number of confirmed cases on the continent rose from 124 a day earlier to 124 on January 24, the National Health Commission said in a statement amid the worst wave of new infections China has seen since March 2020.
Of the 117 new local infections, Jilin contained 67 cases – all but three were previously asymptomatic patients who were reclassified to confirmed cases after developing symptoms. Heilongjiang reported 35 new cases, while Hebei reported 11 new cases.
Although new infections are a fraction of those reported by other countries, the world’s most populous country is determined to keep the spread in check ahead of next month’s New Year holiday when millions travel to their home provinces.
Local authorities have put in place a combination of measures, including millions of people’s home quarantine, curbs, mass testing of COVID-19 and screening to prevent the disease.
The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, dropped to 45 from 92 cases a day earlier.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on mainland China is 89,115, while the death toll remains unchanged at 4,635.
Reporting by Jing Wang and Engen Tham; writing by Se Young Lee; Edited by Christian Schmollinger and Michael Perry