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Despite strict containment measures, the number of corona cases in China has risen to the highest value of the year. The Beijing Health Commission reported 31,444 new infections nationwide on Thursday. This surpassed the previous spring peak.

Along with the number of infections that have been rising for weeks, there have been increasing restrictions on daily life in Chinese cities lately. The government had recently adjusted some corona rules and, among other things, reduced the duration of the quarantine upon entry to China from ten to eight days. But there can be no question of a lasting relaxation.

New measures have recently been imposed in almost all major cities: schools, kindergartens and shops have been closed in the capital Beijing. People were asked not to come out in public if possible.

In the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou, several districts of the city are in complete lockdown. Shanghai, meanwhile, announced that travelers coming to the city will not be allowed to go to restaurants or shops for five days. In the mega metropolis of Chongqing, people are only allowed to leave the country in urgent cases and with a negative corona test. The situation is getting more and more confusing.

Criticism of the management’s corona policy is also increasing among the population. Serious clashes broke out on Wednesday between employees of Apple supplier Foxconn and security forces in Zhengzhou city. The workers protested against the poor conditions in the factory, which has been in a corona lockdown for weeks.

While the rest of the world tries to live with the virus, China continues to implement a strict zero-Covid strategy of lockdowns, daily mass testing, strict surveillance, contact tracing and enforced quarantine. (sda/dpa)