Chinese mainland reports 44 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases
Beijing, China
On Tuesday, China's National Health Commission reported 44 locally-transmitted verified Covid-19 cases, according to Xinhua.
From the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic to the country's economic slump, China has come under fire for its so-called "zero Covid policy."
ItiscommonlyknownthatChinesePresidentXiJinpingwieldsconsiderablepoweroverthecountry'sgovernance andpoliticalstructures.
ExtremelockdownsinBeijinghavesparkeddemonstrationsandfightsbetweenofficialsandcitizenswhohavebeenforcedtostayathomeforweekswithoutaccesstofood or medicine.
Economic growth is expected to fall to levels last seen in the early 1990s as a result of the draconian lockdowns. China's well-publicized 'zero-covid' approach, which the authorities credited with taking the country out of the pandemic until recently, is crumbling as fast rising cases force huge lockdowns similar to those seen in 2020.