Recent Chongqing COVID cases surpass 80,000

Chongqing, with its 32 million people, has logged more than 80,000 COVID-19 infections since a local outbreak on Nov 1, and it continues to face a difficult and complex situation, officials said at a daily briefing on Sunday.

As of Sunday, Chongqing had reported 238 newly confirmed local cases and 9,447 new asymptomatic carriers, a record high, according to figures released by the municipal Health Commission.

"Daily infections have remained at a high level, and continued to grow," Li Pan, deputy director of the commission, said at a news conference. "The epidemic situation is still very challenging and complicated."

As of 6 pm on Sunday, 166 of the confirmed cases were moderate, 33 were severe and 12 were critical, Li said.

Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan inspected the epidemic control and prevention work of the city on Saturday and Sunday and reiterated that the city needs to focus on the current priorities and difficulties, Chongqing Daily reported.

Sun said Chongqing has achieved initial positive results in epidemic prevention and control, and the rapid rise has been effectively contained, but the work is now at a critical point, and all people must further strengthen their resolve to curb the virus.