China stops reporting asymptomatic Covid infections
The National Health Commission (NHC) stopped reporting new asymptomatic Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, as many people without symptoms no longer participate in testing, making it hard to accurately tally the total count, it said. The mainland health authority also announced it will roll out the second Covid vaccine booster shots for high-risk groups and people over 60 years old. The NHC reported 2,249 new symptomatic cases for Tuesday. China recorded 7,679 new cases a day earlier – 2,315 symptomatic and 5,364 asymptomatic infections. Excluding imported infections, the total caseload for Monday was 7,451. Beijing, reported 476 symptomatic cases on Tuesday, according to the NHC, compared with 559 symptomatic and 468 asymptomatic cases the day before. Some cities reported asymptomatic case counts before the NHC's announcement. Financial hub Shanghai reported 16 symptomatic cases and 117 asymptomatic cases, compared with 14 symptomatic cases and 115 asymptomatic on Monday. Health authorities in Guangzhou confirmed 533 new locally-transmitted symptomatic and 741 asymptomatic cases, compared with 291 symptomatic and 434 asymptomatic cases a day earlier. Chongqing reported 179 symptomatic Covid infections and 1,165 asymptomatic cases, compared with 180 symptomatic and 1,398 asymptomatic cases the previous day. (Reuters, Xinhua)