China scored a victory with its stringent zero-COVID-19 approach, as no new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday nationwide for the first time since July, and it "could become the world's first country to control a major Delta outbreak," CNN reported on Monday.
The Delta outbreak recently has been "the biggest challenge yet to China's uncompromising zero tolerance virus policy," it said. Local authorities responded by imposing strict lockdown, conducting massive testing and tracing campaigns, and restricting domestic travels.
"The strict measures appeared to be working," said CNN. Daily infections have fallen steadily over the past week into single digits, down from more than 100 from its peak two weeks ago. China on Monday reported 21 imported cases and zero locally transmitted symptomatic infections, the first time no local cases have been recorded since July 16.
China imposed strict quarantines for arrivals and launched targeted lockdowns and aggressive testing and tracing policies to stamp out any cases that slipped through the defenses, it said, adding that "for more than a year, these measures had been largely successful in keeping cases close to zero."
