Beijing News reported that, amidst the coronavirus outbreak in China, the China Performance Industry Association published a report on March 2. The report, titled, “The ‘Pause Key’ Continued and Nearly 8,000 Performances Were Cancelled in March,” stated that, based on statistics in over twenty provinces in China, nearly 8,000 performances in March were cancelled or postponed. The direct box office loss amounted to over 1 billion yuan (US $140 million). Continue reading
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Military: Over 10,000 Military Healthcare Staff Worked on Coronavirus Control with Zero Infected
Chen Jingyuan, Director of the Health Bureau, People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Central Military Commission’s Logistics and Support Department, stated that over 10,000 military healthcare workers have been engaged on the coronavirus epidemic control and, as of now, they have maintained “zero infection.”
Chen said that starting January 24, the PLA had sent three patches, with a total of over 4,000 medical staff members to Wuhan, including managing the Huoshenshan and other hospitals.
On the other hand, there has been a higher number of infections of healthcare staff members on the civilian side. China Business Network reported that, on February 17, there was a high-profile controversy between the National Health Commission and China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The National Health Commission reported over 1,700 medical staff members had been infected with the coronavirus, while China’s CDC reported more than 3,000 cases. The National Health Commission later said that the CDC count might have included medical professionals who were infected at home, not on the job.
Editor’s Note: Even the lower count of the civilian medial staff’s infections of 1,700 cases as of February 17 presented a big contrast to the military’s “zero infection.” Does that mean the military has a special effective protection measure or has not been actively engaged in patient treatment and is thus much less exposed to danger?
Related postings on Chinascope:
World Outbreak: Korean Military Had 28 Infection Cases and Quarantined Nearly 10,000 Soldiers
China Central Television (CCTV) reported that, by 10 a.m. on March 2, according to Yonhap News Agency, a South Korean news agency, Korea’s Ministry of National Defense reported that 28 infection cases of coronavirus had accumulated within the military staff. A total of 9,790 soldiers were put under quarantine.
It also mentioned that, by then, the U.S. soldiers stationed in Korea had their first infection cases. Korea and the U.S. announced that they would postpone the U.S.-Korea military exercises which they had planned for early March. Continue reading
Hiding Information: Shanghai Authorities Closed a P3 Lab for Publishing Coronavirus Genome
Radio France International reported that, on the next day after Shanghai researchers published the world’s first novel coronavirus genome on the virologic.org website on January 11, the shanghai authorities closed the lab for rectification.
On January 5, Profession Zhang Yongzhen of the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, along with his research team, identified the genome of the coronavirus. They reported it to the National Health Commission and recommended proper measures to prevent it from spreading. However, they did not see any response from the government.
On January 11, Zhang’s team felt that the authorities did not want to take actions to help the public, so they decided to release the virus’ genome. “It is not about one’s fame, but rather facing a respiratory disease that was previously unknown, especially when there will be large-scale population travel during the Chinese New Year period,” a source familiar with Zhang’s team said.
It was said that the Shanghai Health Commission ordered Zhang’s lab to close. The lab is a biosafety level 3 lab (Chinese call it a P3 lab).
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Infection Count: Zhang Wenhong Worried about Shanghai’s Confirmed Infection Count Being Zero
Zhang Wenhong, the Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, at Fudan University, Shanghai and the head of the medical expert team to fight the novel coronavirus in Shanghai, expressed that he was worried to see Shanghai’s newly confirmed infection count was zero.
On February 27, Shanghai reported zero newly confirmed infection cases. “I’m concerned,” Zhang said. “How can it be zero with so many people coming into Shanghai? The more cases we find, the safer our city is.”
Related postings on Chinascope:
- Infection Count: Shandong Internal Report Had Much Higher Infection Counts Than the Published Numbers
- Infection Count: Caixin Showed Wuhan Civil Affairs Bureau Was Lying
- Infection Count: Changjiang Daily Reported a Coronavirus Case on a Day That the Government Reported Zero
- Infection Count: Over 230 Staffs at Wuhan Central Hospital Have Been Infected
- Infection Count: On February 13, Caixin Questioned Wuhan Infection Number
Resuming Production: By February 26, One Third of Small or Mid-Sized Companies Resumed Work
Zhang Kejian, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Information Technology, stated that 32.8 percent or a little under one third, of small or mid-sized companies in China had resumed production.
The ratio was 43.1 percent for the manufacturing industry and more than 40 percent for the industries engaged in information transmission, software, and information technology services.
Zhang also said that the resuming production ratio for the small or mid-size companies has been increasing by 1 percent every day and the ratios for seven provinces is above 40 percent.
Related postings on Chinascope:
- Resuming Production: China’s Pollution Level Declined Due to Less Production and Travel
- Resuming Production: Xi Jinping Said Half of China’s Counties Do Not Have Coronavirus
- Resume Production: Hangzhou City Direction: Companies Can Punish Employees Refusing to Return to Work
- Resuming Production: E-Commerce Company Dangdang Found an Infection Case after Resuming Work
- Resuming Production: Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Sichuan Working on Resuming Production
Local Government: Some People Stuck in Wuhan Became Homeless
China Times Weekly (CTW), a Taiwan media, reported that some people (especially migrant workers from the farmlands) who were stranded in Wuhan became homeless after the Wuhan lockdown.
They did not have the money to pay for a hotel, so they stayed in the train station tunnel, under bridges, or next to trash bins. They went to hospitals or office buildings to search for the leftover food that was thrown out as trash. The local government stated that they would provide services to those who were stuck in Wuhan and faced difficulties in living, but the supply was insufficient. After their information was reported, some volunteers brought food and face masks to them.
Related postings on Chinascope:
- Local Government: Ying Yong Is in Full Control at Hubei Province
- Local Government: Xiaogan City, Hubei Province Sealed Residents’ Doors from Outside
- Local Government: Beijing Asked for “Protecting Patient’s Privacy”
- Local Government: Confiscating Each Other’s Medical Supplies
- Local Government: On February 13, a Few Cities in Hubei Issued “Wartime Control Orders”
Mongolia President Visited China and Was Quarantined after Returning Home
The President of Mongolia, Khaltmaa Battulga visited Beijing and met Xi Jinping on February 27, 2020. Battulga is the first foreign head to visit China after the coronavirus outbreak in China in January. Battulga, along with his Foreign Minister Tsogtbaatar Damdin and delegation met Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang. Battulga donated 30,000 sheep to China.
Right after the delegation returned to Mongolia on February 28, the whole group was quarantined as a measure to prevent coronavirus infection.
Source: Apple Daily, February 28, 2020
https://tw.appledaily.com/international/20200228/RARYOD2TG4NY6QNOWR3SMUK5EE/