China reports zero new cases for the first time since July

On Monday, the health authority of China confirms that no new locally Covid-19 cases were recorded, for the first time since July.

For a country like China where the virus originated, combating the virus with the ‘zero-tolerance’ draconian strategy made the whole nation suffer a hard time but not in vain.

Before hitting zero-case, more than 1,200 infections were registered causing an outbreak in which the Delta variant dominated. However, no deaths were reported. The Chinese local authorities checked carefully and repeatedly the population ensuring the capture of every infection.

Ceasing flights, cutting off trains and imposing compulsory quarantine were also some of the restrictions that helped China outstrip its 1000 cases stage.

Following the severe limitations adopted by the country, easier ones were applied this weekend. In few areas in Beijing, Wuhan, Jingmen and others authorities have lifted lockdowns. Whereas Sichuan has allowed travel agencies to resume tours.

Opposingly, Shanghai recorded some infections which obliged the city to place hundreds of people under quarantine over the same weekend.

China’s successful model of reaching zero cases and having COVID-19 under a careful control raises the question of whether other nations would sacrifice to adopt the zero-tolerance method.

For now, China is not willing to put its draconian tactic on hold.

“Although China’s current (COVID containment) policy is characterised by a high degree of disruption as well as cost, a suite of effective measures has been established, which I don’t think will be abandoned easily,” said Chen Zhengming, professor of epidemiology at the University of Oxford.