China reported its highest number of asymptomatic Covid-19 infections since it started recording these types of infections in April, after local health authorities found a cluster of 137 cases linked to a garment factory in the Xinjiang region, Reuters reported.
Key Facts
Discovery of the new asymptomatic cases came after China began mass testing 4.75 million people in the Kashgar area of Xinjiang.
Across the mainland, China reported 20 new “confirmed” and 161 new symptomatic cases in the previous 24 hours, the country’s National Health Commission said on Monday.
As of Sunday afternoon, more than 2.84 million people had been tested in the Kashgar region, while tests of the remaining population are expected to be completed by Tuesday.
Key Background
The mass testing in Kashgar was triggered after a 17-year-old female factory worker in the region tested positive on Saturday, while displaying no symptoms. The teenager’s infection was discovered during a routine weekly test in Xinjiang. The source of the teenager’s infection remains unclear. The new cluster of asymptomatic cases has been linked to a separate garment factory where the girl’s parents work, however, they themselves have not tested positive.
Big Number
85,810: That’s the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases that have been found in mainland China, where the first case of Covid-19 emerged in December 2019.. The country has recorded a total of 4,634 deaths. As per the National Health Commission’s website, China records asymptomatic cases separately from what it calls “confirmed” cases.
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Further Reading
China reports surge of asymptomatic coronavirus cases in Xinjiang (Reuters)
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I am a Breaking News Reporter at Forbes, with a focus on covering important tech policy and business news. Graduated from Columbia University with an MA in Business and Economics Journalism in 2019. Worked as a journalist in New Delhi, India from 2014 to 2018. Have a news tip? DMs are open on Twitter @SiladityaRay or drop me an email at siladitya@protonmail.com.
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