China reported two Covid-19 deaths today, its first in more than a year, underlining the threat posed by an Omicron outbreak that has triggered the country's highest case counts since the pandemic's outset
The National Health Commission said both deaths occurred in Jilin, the northeastern province which has been hardest-hit by a nationwide rise in cases that has prompted lockdowns or tight restrictions in several cities.
Beijing's communist leadership has touted its low death rate relative to other countries as evidence of the strength of its one-party governance model. But the highly transmissible omicron variant is posing a stern challenge to the effectiveness and long-term viability of the government's"zero-Covid" strategy.
While in the past full lockdowns could be expected for any outbreak, authorities around the country have responded with varying measures to the latest viral spread. But tens of millions of people remain under stay-at-home orders across China due to an outbreak that has sent daily reported new cases soaring from less than 100 just three weeks ago to several thousand per day now.
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