China reported its first two Covid-19 deaths in more than a year, the National Health Commission said, both coming in the northeastern province of Jilin as the country faces its worst case upsurge since the pandemic’s outset.
SHANGHAI, China — China reported its first two Covid-19 deaths in more than a year on Saturday, the National Health Commission said, both coming in the northeastern province of Jilin as the country faces its worst case upsurge since the pandemic’s outset.
The country where the virus emerged in late 2019 has largely kept it under control thanks to a combination of strict border controls, lengthy quarantines and targeted lockdowns. Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday the country will “stick with” its zero-Covid strategy, state TV reported. Beijing’s communist leadership has made its handling of the pandemic a matter of political capital, saying the low death rate demonstrates the strength of its governance model.