China defends zero-Covid strategy, says speed vital to stopping spread
- National Health Commission director Ma Xiaowei vows to stick with the country’s approach, underlining importance of ‘golden first 24 hours’
- The country can now contain outbreaks in two weeks, he says
The commission on Thursday reported 53 new symptomatic local cases, all of which were found in the small city of Manzhouli, in the northern Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and on the border with Russia.
One asymptomatic case, a close contact of a symptomatic case, was also found in the community in the neighbouring New Barag Right district. There were 32 new imported infections, 20 of them symptomatic.
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Manzhouli has reported 153 Covid-19 cases since Saturday, and on Thursday morning launched its fifth round of mass testing.
“We will continue our strict epidemic control measures and consolidate results that did not come easy,” Ma told Xinhua on Wednesday. “China’s anti-epidemic experience shows that having 1.4 billion people holding the line of defence is the greatest contribution to international anti-pandemic efforts.”
