China said suspended or closed social media accounts over 1,000 critics of its policies on the COVID-19 outbreak.
Social media platform Sina Weibo said it dealt with 12,854 breaches, permanent bans on 1,120 accounts and attacks on experts, academics and medical workers.
The company said Thursday that it will “continue to intensify investigations and clean up all kinds of illegal content and create a harmonious and friendly community environment for the majority of users.”
The Chinese Communist Party imposes strict limits on free speech, with previous methods sparking widespread protests in major cities.
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While the Chinese Communist Party relied on its medical professionals to justify rigorous mitigation efforts, the country quickly moved to roll back restrictions, leading to a new surge.
China will no longer bring criminal charges against those accused of violating border quarantine rules, and those detained will be released.
A man wearing a face mask shops for Chinese Lunar New Year decorations at a pavement store in Beijing on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023.
(AP Photo/Andy Wong)
The official China Daily newspaper’s website said the adjustments were made after “thoroughly considering the harm of behaviors to society and seeking to adapt to new epidemic prevention and control situations.” .
Cases and hospitalizations are on the rise, even as authorities say Lunar New Year trips are set to double from the same time last year.
friday, Chinese Ministry of Transport called for reduced travel and gatherings, particularly if they involve people at particular risk of serious illness.
Vice Minister Xu Chengguang told reporters that people using public transport were also urged to wear masks and closely monitor their health.
China is pushing ahead with its plan to end mandatory quarantines for those arriving from overseas, starting Sunday, in addition to dropping the requirement for students in the city’s schools to have a negative COVID-19 test to enter campus when classes resume on February 2. 13.
People wearing face masks walk down a street in Beijing on Friday, January 29. 6, 2023.
(AP Photo/Andy Wong)
The municipal office of education said in a statement Friday that while schools can move classes online if there are new outbreaks, they must resume in-person instruction as soon as possible.
Chinese health authorities publish a daily tally of new cases, severe cases and deaths. These figures only include officially confirmed cases and use a narrow definition of COVID-related deaths.
Since the government ended mandatory testing, allowing people with mild symptoms to test and confirm at home, authorities say the government can no longer provide a full status report for the latest infections.
On Saturday, the National Health Commission reported 10,681 new domestic cases and three new deaths were reported in the past 24 hours.
Medical workers watch an elderly patient as he arrives at a Beijing hospital emergency room on Saturday January 29. 7, 2023.
(AP Photo/Andy Wong)
The numbers are said to be lower than estimates published by some local governments. The eastern province of Zhejiang announced on Tuesday that it was seeing around 1 million new cases a day.
The Health Committee On Saturday, rules were rolled out for enhanced surveillance for virus mutations, including testing on urban sewage. He called for increased data collection from hospitals and local government health departments and stronger checks on “pneumonia of unknown causes”.
If a variant appears during an epidemic, it is detected by genetic sequencing of the virus.
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The World Health Organization has expressed concern about the lack of data from China, but China pushed back testing requirements instituted by foreign governments, saying they are not based on science.
Its spokespersons said the situation was under control and dismissed accusations of unpreparedness to reopen.
The United States requires a negative test result for travelers from China within 48 hours of departure.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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