China rushes to build 3000 hospital beds in Tibet with 28 COVID cases

Hong Kong: Chinese authorities have rushed to build three makeshift hospitals in Tibet after the first cases of the pandemic were recorded in the region, as they seek to continue their fight against the virus that causes COVID-19.

The new facility will provide 2,000 beds in the capital Lhasa and 1,000 beds in Shigatse. As part of its ongoing COVID-Zero strategy, Beijing has mandated isolation of all positive cases and their close contacts, often in government-built temporary hospitals.

After being virtually virus-free for most of the pandemic, Tibet reported 28 new cases on Tuesday and imposed a partial lockdown in Lhasa, including the famous Potala Palace, the Dalai Lama’s traditional winter residence. , which is testing people at scale to eradicate hidden chains of contagion. A team of health experts from Beijing has arrived to assist with containment measures.

China’s National Health Commission warned Wednesday that people living at high altitudes are more prone to chronic respiratory diseases and low blood oxygen levels, putting them at higher risk of serious illness from COVID. An analysis of the outbreak in the mountainous province of Gansu, where 27 of his nearly 4,500 infected people had serious cases, suggested a geographic link, said Guo Yanhong, a senior official of his. told reporters at a briefing.

As the summer holiday season kicks off in the north and borders are effectively closed, China grapples with surges in several tourist destinations, and local authorities are rolling out a COVID-Zero playbook of travel restrictions, mass testing and surveillance. I’m looking. to keep the case under control. The virus is spreading rapidly in regions such as Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Guangdong, according to NHC spokesman Mi Feng. China’s 952 new infections on Tuesday hit its highest tally in almost a month.

In the northwest, Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region and a popular destination for Chinese tourists because of its proximity to the Silk Road, has closed six of its eight major regions for five days, cutting taxis and public transport. service has been stopped. The region reported 122 of his COVID cases. More areas of Xinjiang are subject to restrictions, officials said, but tourists will be allowed to leave the area if they test negative in a PCR test within 24 hours.

China’s largest outbreak is occurring on the tropical island of Hainan The south, known for its beaches and duty-free shops, reported 570 cases. Canceled flights and restrictions imposed last week allowed some travelers stranded in Sanya, a popular tourist spot on the southern tip of Hainan Island, to leave on Tuesday, with more departures. is expected. Those who are still there are subject to frequent mass testing and restricted movement.

The resurgence coincides with a call by the Communist Party’s top newspaper that officials should avoid “laziness” and “war fatigue” when it comes to fighting the virus.state-owned economic dailyA front-page commentary on Wednesday noted that unlike the West, China’s approach is aimed at preventing deaths and protecting people’s health.