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China reports 2 new COVID deaths as some restrictions eased

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HONG KONG (AP) — 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.

A woman has her routine COVID-19 throat swab at a coronavirus testing site in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

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.

Women with their children walk through a deserted walkway outside a closed shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

While nine in 10 Chinese have been vaccinated, only 66% of people over 80 have gotten one shot while 40% have received a booster, according to the commission. It said 86% of people over 60 are vaccinated.

People wearing face masks walk through a reopened open air shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

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.

People wearing face masks walk through a reopened open air shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

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.

Residents line up for their routine COVID-19 throat swabs as a worker load goods onside a van outside a supermarket in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

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.

An elderly man puts on his mask after getting his routine COVID-19 throat swab at a coronavirus testing site displaying a poster which encourages elderly citizen to get vaccination in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

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.

Residents line up in freezing cold temperatures for their routine COVID-19 throat swabs at a coronavirus testing site in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

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.

Virus Outbreak China

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.

A couple carrying a bag of groceries walk by residents who line up in freezing cold temperatures for their routine COVID-19 throat swabs at a coronavirus testing site in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

While many have questioned the accuracy of the Chinese figures, they remain relatively low compared to the U.S. 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.

A woman and a child fly kite on a green outside a mall in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

China still imposes mandatory quarantine for incoming travelers even as its infection numbers are low compared to its 1.4 billion population.

A woman wearing a face mask looks at masked man holding a dog as they walk through a reopened open air shopping mall in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. China on Sunday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 as some cities move cautiously to ease anti-pandemic restrictions amid increasingly vocal public frustration over the measures. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
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