China reports 2 new COVID deaths as some restrictions eased
Hong Kong, Dec 4: China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions following increasingly vocal public frustrations.
The National Health Commission said one death was reported each in the provinces of Shandong and Sichuan. No information was given about the ages of the victims or whether they had been fully vaccinated.
China, where the virus first was detected in late 2019 in the central city of Wuhan, is the last major country trying to stop transmission completely through quarantines, lockdowns and mass testing.
Concerns over vaccination rates are believed to figure prominently in the ruling Communist Party's determination to stick to its hard-line strategy.
While nine in 10 Chinese have been vaccinated, only 66 per cent of people over 80 have gotten one shot while 40 per cent have received a booster, according to the commission. It said 86 per cent of people over 60 are vaccinated.
Given those figures and the fact that relatively few Chinese have been built up antibodies by being exposed to the virus, some fear millions could die if restrictions were lifted entirely.
Yet, an outpouring of public anger appears to have prompted authorities to lift some of the more onerous restrictions, even as they say the "zero-COVID" strategy which aims to isolate every infected person is still in place.
The demonstrations, the largest and most widely spread in decades, erupted Nov. 25 after a fire in an apartment building in the northwestern city of Urumqi killed at least 10 people.
That set off angry questions online about whether firefighters or victims trying to escape were blocked by locked doors or other anti-virus controls. Authorities denied that, but the deaths became a focus of public frustration.
The country saw several days of protests across cities including Shanghai and Beijing, with protesters demanding an easing of COVID-19 curbs.
Some demanded Chinese President Xi Jinping step down, an extraordinary show of public dissent in a society over which the ruling Communist Party exercises near total control.
Beijing and some other Chinese cities announced that riders can board buses and subways without a virus test for the first time in months.
The requirement has led to complaints from some Beijing residents that even though the city has shut many testing stations, most public venues still require COVID-19 tests.
On Sunday, China announced another 35,775 cases from the past 24 hours, 31,607 of which were asymptomatic, bringing its total to 336,165 with 5,235 deaths.
While many have questioned the accuracy of the Chinese figures, they remain relatively low compared to the US and other nations which are now relaxing controls and trying to live with the virus that has killed at least 6.6 million people worldwide and sickened almost 650 million.
China still imposes mandatory quarantine for incoming travellers even as its infection numbers are low compared to its 1.4 billion population.
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru restores 3 lakes in water-stressed city
New Delhi, April 19: Professional franchise cricket team Royal Challengers Bengaluru has restored three lakes in Bengaluru, a city grappling with a severe water crisis.
RCB launched the Lake Improvement Works Project in October 2023 as part of the "RCB Go Green Initiative". The project focused on desilting and developing the Ittgalpura and Sadenahalli lakes, located in highly water-stressed areas.
These areas lack access to Kaveri River water and rely entirely on groundwater and surface water with borewell depths ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 feet.
According to a statement, more than 1,20,000 tons of silt and sand have been removed from the two lakes and nine acres of lake land have been recovered, leading to the creation of stabilisation ponds and wetlands that benefit the local bird and animal populations.
The water holding capacity of the lakes has also increased to cover up to 17 acres, it said, adding that the lakes will not only facilitate groundwater recharge but also support agricultural activities in the surrounding areas.
They will provide additional livelihood opportunities for the fishermen and farmers of the two lakes, who can now harvest up to three times more than before, it said.
Meanwhile, at Kannur Lake, the objective has been to improve community ownership through the creation of civic amenities as lake assets.
Ethno-medicinal plant parks, bamboo parks, and butterfly parks are also being created at all three lakes as part of the initiative to improve and sustain biodiversity.
"These lakes not only serve as critical groundwater sources for neighbouring villages but also form the backbone of local livelihoods," said Rajesh Menon, VP and Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Experts say Bengaluru is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and its infrastructure for fresh water supply is struggling to keep up with the growing population.
Over a third of the city's 13 million residents rely on groundwater, which is rapidly depleting.
