What’s new: Beijing authorities have declared the city free of high-risk areas for the coronavirus, paving the way for further rollbacks of disease control measures as the Chinese capital’s latest hotspot fades.
Municipal public health officials said at a regular press conference Monday that they had lowered the threat level from high to medium in a community in southwestern Beijing’s Fengtai district. The move means no part of the city is now considered high-risk.
The city of 21 million people recorded zero new Covid-19 cases (link in Chinese) on Monday, making it eight consecutive days that it hasn’t had any new infections, according to the municipal health commission.
The background: Beijing imposed local lockdowns last month after discovering a series of new Covid-19 cases linked to the Xinfadi wholesale market in Fengtai. The infections were the first to be confirmed in the capital in nearly two months.
In response, authorities also ramped up virus-busting measures for schools and businesses, dealing a further blow to the fragile recoveries of many small and midsize companies.
The city has logged 335 Covid-19 cases since June 11, none of whom have died, according to the health commission. Some 205 patients remain in the hospital, while the remaining 130 have been discharged.
Contact reporter Matthew Walsh (matthewwalsh@caixin.com) and editor Marcus Ryder (marcusryder@caixin.com)
