More than half a year since Covid-19 halted its spread within mainland China, new clusters of cases have emerged in and around the capital Beijing in recent weeks.
The number of newly reported cases is nowhere near the level seen in many countries outside of China, including the United States. Hebei, the worst affected province, has reported more than 800 new confirmed cases since January 1. But here’s a look at the counties that have reported confirmed coronavirus cases since Dec. 1, with darker shades representing areas with a higher number of cases:
The continued spread of the virus, particularly in Hebei Province surrounding Beijing, has prompted authorities to lock up several regions and urge people across the country not to travel during the upcoming Lunar New Year festival. The holiday officially falls in mid-February this year.
“Given the rapid responses from local governments, the efficient testing and tracking systems and the continued introduction of vaccines, we believe the situation will eventually be brought under control,” said Ting Lu, China chief economist at Nomura, in a note of 18. January. “However, the unusually cold weather and the upcoming Lunar New Year (LNY) journey may make the task of controlling the virus more challenging.”
“The hospitality sector will slow down, while the industrial sector can remain solid,” Lu said, adding that “markets may need to lower their expectations for strong pent-up consumer demand during the upcoming LNY holidays in mid-February.”
Hebei province began to reveal a spike in coronavirus cases early this year, with daily numbers above 90 last week. The figures do not include the many asymptomatic cases found in mass testing.