Mainland Sees Small Drop In New Covid Infections

The National Health Commission (NHC) on Tuesday reported a decline in new Covid-19 infections for November 28 to 38,645, after posting a record daily high of 40,347 cases a day earlier.

Excluding imported infections, the NHC confirmed 38,421 new local cases for Monday, of which 3,561 were symptomatic and 34,860 asymptomatic, down from 40,052 the day before.

No new deaths were reported for the second day running, keeping the mainland's official Covid death toll at 5,233.

The country has been roiled by protests over the past few days in Shanghai, Beijing and other mainland cities, against stringent Covid measures.

Speaking at a Tuesday briefing on the Covid situation, Cheng Youquan said that public complaints about Covid-19 controls stem from overzealous implementation, and when applied with a one-size-fits-all approach, rather than the measures themselves.

"The problems highlighted by the public are not aimed at the epidemic prevention and control itself, but focus on simplifying prevention and control measures," the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration supervisory official said.

Officials will move swiftly to resolve the difficulties people have drawn attention to, he added.

Cases in the capital rose again on Monday to 4,386, from 3,888 the day before, local government data showed.

New infections recorded in Shanghai also climbed slightly to 178 from 144 on Sunday.

But cases in the mega-cities of Guangzhou and Chonging dipped slightly, although they still accounted for the bulk of infections.

Authorities in the Guangdong capital reported 7,279 new locally-transmitted cases, while new infections in Chongqing dropped to 8,791 from 9,685 on Sunday. (Reuters)

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