Today, Sunday, the circle of countries imposing measures on people coming from China, where the Corona virus is spreading again, expanded.

While the Chinese president acknowledged that his country was facing difficult challenges, the director of the International Monetary Fund issued a warning about the impact of the global economy on the developments of the epidemic.

Travelers from China now face restrictions when entering more than a dozen countries, as concern mounts about rising COVID-19 cases in the Asian country of 1.4 billion.

Today, Sunday, Australia joined the United States, Japan, Canada and many European countries, which have become required to show a negative test for the virus before arriving at their airports.

And last month, Beijing put an end to its strict “zero Covid” policy, which includes comprehensive closures and tests, 3 years after the Corona virus first appeared in the southern Chinese city of Wuhan.

As Chinese hospitals fill up with COVID-19 patients and crematoriums fill, officials insist this wave is "under control", though acknowledging that it is "impossible" to track its size.

Despite the high number of injuries, large crowds gathered to celebrate New Year's Eve in Shanghai and Wuhan, but social media users said that the celebrations seemed quieter than in previous years.

On Sunday, the country's authorities reported more than 5,000 positive cases and an additional death related to COVID-19.

These are numbers that Beijing's critics say are far below reality.


understandable actions

Australian Health Minister Mark Butler said today, Sunday, that Beijing's "lack of comprehensive information" about Covid-19 infections is the reason behind the new measures that will be imposed on people coming from China, which will enter into force on January 5, noting that this measure aims to " Protecting Australia from the threat of possible new variants.

In recent days, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have also imposed new travel requirements requiring arrivals from China to present a negative COVID-19 test or undergo a test upon arrival.

Canada justified its decision by the "limited available epidemiological and viral genetic sequencing data" regarding recent Covid-19 infections in China.

Also, Morocco announced yesterday, Saturday, that travelers from China will be banned from entering its territory, starting from the third of January, to “avoid a new wave of infection” with the Corona virus.

The wave of travel restrictions began as countries expected an increase in the number of Chinese visitors, after Beijing announced that the mandatory quarantine for arriving passengers would end on January 8.

The World Health Organization described these precautionary measures as "understandable," given the lack of information about the current wave of the epidemic provided by Beijing.

However, the European branch of Airports Council International, which represents more than 500 airports in 55 European countries, said the restrictions were not justified or based on risks.


The president calls for patience

For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that difficult challenges still exist in his country's fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, calling for patience.

He added - in a speech delivered last night on the occasion of the new year - that the country is going through a new phase of controlling the COVID-19 disease, and has adapted after taking a science-based approach.

As for the Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, she said, "Covid infections in China are disturbing news for the global economy."

"This year will be more difficult than the previous one for most economies in the world," she added.

It is noteworthy that the Corona virus first appeared in Wuhan, southern China, in late 2019, and it soon spread around the world.

According to figures published today, Sunday, by the American Johns Hopkins University, the Corona epidemic has so far affected more than 660 million people, and killed 6.9 million people around the world.