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Thursday, March 28, 2024

China returns to work as virus hits daily record

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China returns to work as virus hits daily record
China returns to work as virus hits daily record

Some Chinese goverment restrictions imposed because of the Coronavirus outbreak are eased, as local residents begin to return to work.

Adam Reed reports.

Workers in China have been slowly trickling back to work, as some government enforced restrictions for the coronavirus outbreak were eased.

The epidemic has now claimed the lives of over 900 people, with the unwanted daily record of 97 deaths coming on Sunday (February 9).

There have now been 40,000 confirmed cases, the vast majority of them in China.

The extended closure of factories in the world's second-largest economy has raised concerns for global supply chains.

Car manufacturers Tesla, Daimler, and Ford all resumed production Monday (February 10), as did Samsung's major appliance producing Chinese facility, but gaming giant Tencent has allowed its staff to work from home until at least February 21st.

Chinese Lunar New Year holidays were due to end last month, before authorities told businesses to extend them.

Locals in Shanghai are now starting to return to their normal commutes.

(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 48-YEAR-OLD SHANGHAI RESIDENT, WU YU, SAYING: "It's obvious that there are fewer people on the train compared with normal days and everyone is wearing a mask.

Everyone is taking protection measures.

(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) A 27-YEAR-OLD SHANGHAI RESIDENT, ZHANG RUIJIN, SAYING: "There are far fewer people as it's the first day for work.

And temperature taking and sterilizing are well done inside office buildings.

As for the work, we will work from home for the next few days so I feel relieved actually." The virus has also spread to at least 27 countries and territories, according to a Reuters count based on official reports, infecting more than 330 people.

On Monday the UK government declared it an "imminent threat" to public health.

Two deaths have been reported outside mainland China - both of them Chinese nationals - one in Hong Kong and the other in the Philippines.

Sixty more cases have been found on a cruise ship docked off the Japanese port of Yokohama, taking the number of cases to 130 from a total of 3,700 people on board.

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