China battles fresh Covid outbreak

Taipei, March 14

China has banned most people from leaving a Covid-hit northeastern province and mobilised military reservists on Monday as the fast-spreading Omicron variant fuels the country’s biggest outbreak since the start of the pandemic two years ago.

The National Health Commission reported 1,337 locally transmitted cases in the past 24-hours, including 895 in the industrial province of Jilin. A government notice said police permission would be required for people to leave the area or travel from one city to another.

Beijing had six new cases and Shanghai 41. — AP

Obama tests ve

• Washington: Former US President Barack Obama has tested positive for Covid while his wife, Michelle, has tested negative.
• “Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted.” Obama said on Twitter on Sunday and encouraged more Americans to get vaccinated against the virus, despite the declining infection rate.
• There were roughly 35,000 infections on average over the past week, down sharply from mid-January when that average was closer to 8,00,000. AP