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Fresh lockdowns in China as local Covid-19 infections spread to 11 provinces

Part 1. Vocabulary

curb

/ kərb/ v.

- restrain or keep in check:

"She promised she would curb her temper"

despite

/ dəˈspīt/ prep.

- without being affected by; in spite of:

"he remains a great leader despite age and infirmity"

detect

/ dəˈtekt/ v.

- discover or identify the presence or existence of:

"cancer may soon be detected in its earliest stages"

stringent

/ Strinjənt/ adj.

- demanding strict attention to rules and procedures;

"rigorous discipline";

slack

/ slak/ adj.

- characterized by a lack of work or activity; quiet:

"business was rather slack"

 

Part 2. Comprehension Questions

What is China reimposing recently?

How many of China's population have been vaccinated?

When was the outbreak detected?

What has the Chinese capital required for travelers?

Why does the director of the local health commission of the city announce harsh punishment for the six officials?

 

Part 3. Article Reading

Hong Kong (CNN) Authorities in northern China are reimposing lockdowns and other emergency measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, with health officials warning of a worsening outbreak after the country recorded more than 100 cases across 11 provinces over the last week.

"Since October 17, there have been multiple scattered local outbreaks in China, and they're expanding rapidly," Mi Feng, a spokesman at the National Health Commission (NHC), said at a news conference Sunday. "There is an increasing risk that the outbreak will spread even further."

The rapid spread comes despite about 75% of China's population - of more than a billion people - being fully vaccinated, according to Mi.

The outbreak was first detected on October 16 among a tour group of fully vaccinated senior citizens from Shanghai who traveled in several northern regions. Among the 133 infections reported as of Sunday, 106 were linked to 13 tour groups, according to Mi, the NHC health official.

On Sunday, the Chinese capital tightened entry restrictions into the city, requiring travelers from places with confirmed cases to present a negative coronavirus test and undergo 14 days of health monitoring.

Already, authorities in Beijing are making an example of six residents who allegedly broke Covid rules with criminal detention s. Among them, two went out to eat and invited friends, home for mahjong despite having developed fevers upon returning from a Covid-infected tourist destination in Inner Mongolia. Another two tried to climb over the fences of their locked-down gated community.

The city also suspended a marathon originally scheduled for October 31. It has not announced a new date for the event.

Elsewhere, the Covid response has been even more sweeping and stringent.

Ejin Banner, a city of 35,000 people in Inner Mongolia and a popular tourist destination, banned all residents and tourists from leaving their homes or hotel rooms starting Monday after it recorded 12 cases on Sunday.

The city also announced harsh punishment for six officials, including the director of the local health commission, for their " slack response and ineffective management" of the latest outbreak, the state-run Global Times reported Sunday.

Transportation Ministry suspended all trains, buses, and taxi services in Inner Mongolia and Gansu.

Source: Nectar Gan, CNN, https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/25/china/covid-update-intl-hnk/index.html

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