China stated it could retire an app used to trace Covid-19 contacts, marking a serious milestone within the nation’s speedy flip away from its ‘Zero-Covid’ coverage. The “Communications Itinerary Card” was used to trace whether or not somebody has been to a high-risk space primarily based on their cellphone sign. The app will go offline this week, in keeping with an official WeChat submit, after greater than two years in operation, AFP reported.

Listed here are high updates on Covid in China:

Learn extra: Zelensky thanks Biden for ‘unprecedented’ assist for Ukraine. His response

1. The cardboard was a central a part of China’s zero-Covid coverage as hundreds of thousands of individuals have been required to key of their cellphone numbers to supply its signature inexperienced arrow with the intention to journey or enter occasions.
2. The choice comes simply days after China introduced an finish to large-scale lockdowns, obligatory quarantine, and a broad leisure of testing measures.
3. Reported circumstances within the nation have dropped sharply from all-time highs final month. China reported 8,838 new Covid-19 infections for December 11, of which 2,240 have been symptomatic and 6,598 have been asymptomatic, the Nationwide Well being Fee stated. That’s in contrast with 10,815 new circumstances a day earlier.
4. China’s capital Beijing reported 528 symptomatic and 609 asymptomatic circumstances, in contrast with 784 symptomatic and 877 asymptomatic circumstances the day past.
5. Shanghai reported 11 symptomatic circumstances and 120 asymptomatic circumstances, in contrast with 4 symptomatic circumstances and 197 asymptomatic circumstances a day earlier than.
6. Guangzhou reported 414 new domestically transmitted symptomatic and 599 asymptomatic circumstances.
7. Nonetheless, high Chinese language well being knowledgeable Zhong Nanshan warned that the prevailing Omicron variant was “spreading quickly” by way of the nation.