Mainland Virus Cases Rise As Xinjiang Outbreak Grows

The mainland reported 47 new confirmed Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, up from 42 a day earlier and marking the highest daily increase in more than two months, the national health authority said on Thursday.

Of the new cases, 23 were local infections in Xinjiang involving previously asymptomatic patients following a mass infection reported in Kashgar. The rest were imported infections originating from overseas.

The increase in confirmed Covid-19 infections marks the highest since 49 cases were reported for August 9, but still at a small fraction of what the country saw at the height of the epidemic in February. The total number of new asymptomatic cases fell to 16 from 38 a day earlier.

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases on the mainland now stands at 85,915, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634. (Reuters)