 |
| Credit Wikipedia |
#15,329
We are not yet a week into Beijing's latest COVID-19 outbreak - which now numbers 158 confirmed cases - nearly all of whom are reportedly linked to the Xinfadi wholesale food market in the southern Beijing district of Fengtai.
This outbreak comes after local authorities had gone 56 days without reporting a locally acquired case in the nation's capital. For nearly two months, only `imported' cases had been reported in Beijing.While these numbers are `official' - they may or not be accurate - as China has a history of carefully controlling the narrative. Nevertheless, we have to work with what we are given.
Thus far, despite the relatively low number of confirmed cases, we've seen a vigorous response by local officials (see Beijing Cancels Hundreds Of Flights & Reports 31 New COVID-19 Cases); schools have been closed, and both ground and air transportation in and out of the city have been severely curbed.
According to local health authorities, least 4 other provinces (Zhejiang (1), Hebei (6), Sichuan (1), and Liaoning (2)) have reported local cases linked to recent travel to Beijing.Today's report from the National Health Commission adds 21 new cases in Beijing, all reportedly linked to the Xinfadi market.
The latest situation of the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic situation as of 24:00 on June 17
Release time: 2020-06-18 Source: Health Emergency Office
From 0 to 24:00 on June 17, 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 28 newly confirmed cases, including 4 imported cases (2 in Shanghai, 1 in Shaanxi, and 1 in Gansu), There were 24 local cases (21 in Beijing, 2 in Hebei, and 1 in Tianjin); no new deaths; 3 new suspected cases, all of which are local (all in Beijing).
On the same day, 15 new cases were discharged, 153 close contacts were released from medical observation, and 2 more severe cases.
There are 91 confirmed cases imported overseas (no serious cases), and no suspected cases. A total of 1860 cases were diagnosed, and 1769 cases were cured and discharged, with no deaths.
As of 24:00 on June 17, according to the reports of 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, there are currently 265 confirmed cases (including 9 severe cases), a total of 78394 discharged cases and a total of 4634 deaths. A total of 83,293 confirmed cases were reported, and there are currently 7 suspected cases. A total of 754,966 close contacts were tracked, and 5,220 close contacts were still under medical observation.
31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 8 new cases of asymptomatic infections (2 cases imported overseas); no conversion to confirmed cases on that day; 3 cases of medical observation released on the same day (1 case imported overseas); 111 cases of asymptomatic infections in medical observation (63 cases imported from abroad).
A total of 1610 confirmed cases were reported from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Among them, 1120 cases in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1071 cases discharged, 4 deaths), 45 cases in the Macau Special Administrative Region (45 cases discharged), 445 cases in Taiwan (434 cases discharged, 7 deaths).The good news to all of this is - so far, at least - most, if not all of the Beijing cases appear to have been traced to clusters, and are therefore not technically `community spread'. This (translated) report from the Beijing Daily News.
Beijing reported a total of 8 cluster epidemics related to emerging markets
This afternoon, at the 125th press conference of Beijing's new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic prevention and control work, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that as of 24:00 on June 17, Beijing reported a total of 8 incidents with Xinfa Market-related cluster epidemic situation.
The Beijing Daily News is also reporting that Wu Zunyou - Chief Epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control - now believes the Beijing outbreak is under control.
Something that only time will tell.
