<p>China reported a slight decline in new Covid-19 cases on Saturday as numerous cities across the country battled outbreaks and restaurants and many other businesses in Beijing shut after authorities urged people to stay home over the weekend.</p>.<p>Authorities have recently taken some steps to try ease the impact of their tough zero-Covid policy approach, which is battering the word's second-biggest economy and sowing frustration and anger, even as case numbers have risen to their highest since April.</p>.<p>Numerous businesses in Beijing's Chaoyang district, the capital's main financial and diplomatic area, have shut or announced only limited services.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/china-tightens-restrictions-as-rise-in-virus-cases-reported-1161697.html" target="_blank">China tightens restrictions as rise in virus cases reported</a></strong></p>.<p>One restaurant owner in the nightlife hub of Sanlitun told Reuters that authorities had told him and other outlets in the area to close for three days from Saturday.</p>.<p>The outlying Beijing districts of Fangshan and Huairou announced additional testing requirements for people entering from other provinces.</p>.<p>Beijing reported 79 symptomatic and 436 asymptomatic cases for Friday compared with 100 symptomatic and 366 asymptomatic cases the previous day, government data showed.</p>.<p>Beijing authorities are on high alert in the hope of preventing the numerous Omicron variant outbreaks in other cities from spreading to the capital.</p>.<p>The latest data for the country showed 24,263 new domestically transmitted cases, of which 2,055 were symptomatic and 22,208 were asymptomatic, down from 25,129 the previous day.</p>.<p>That daily tally is approaching the highs of when the financial hub of Shanghai was locked down earlier in the year.</p>.<p>This time, however, the cases are distributed across numerous cities, where authorities are weighing the costs and benefits of loosening policies that have damaged businesses.</p>.<p>Guangzhou, a city in the south of nearly 19 million people, reported 269 new domestically transmitted symptomatic cases and 8,444 asymptomatic cases, compared with 255 symptomatic and 8,989 asymptomatic cases a day before, authorities said.</p>.<p>Guangzhou authorities recently announced they would build facilities with more than 250,000 hospital beds to cope with the rising cases. This week, residents staged a protest in defiance of strict lockdown policies.</p>.<p>The manufacturing hub of Zhengzhou reported 182 new symptomatic locally transmitted COVID infections and 1,385 asymptomatic cases, compared with 107 symptomatic and 1,556 asymptomatic cases a day before, according to government data.</p>.<p>Lockdowns in the city sent some workers fleeing from a factory operated by Apple iPhone manufacturer Foxconn. Authorities have responded by offering low-level officials and residents cash bonuses on top of wages if they stay on the production lines. </p>
<p>China reported a slight decline in new Covid-19 cases on Saturday as numerous cities across the country battled outbreaks and restaurants and many other businesses in Beijing shut after authorities urged people to stay home over the weekend.</p>.<p>Authorities have recently taken some steps to try ease the impact of their tough zero-Covid policy approach, which is battering the word's second-biggest economy and sowing frustration and anger, even as case numbers have risen to their highest since April.</p>.<p>Numerous businesses in Beijing's Chaoyang district, the capital's main financial and diplomatic area, have shut or announced only limited services.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/china-tightens-restrictions-as-rise-in-virus-cases-reported-1161697.html" target="_blank">China tightens restrictions as rise in virus cases reported</a></strong></p>.<p>One restaurant owner in the nightlife hub of Sanlitun told Reuters that authorities had told him and other outlets in the area to close for three days from Saturday.</p>.<p>The outlying Beijing districts of Fangshan and Huairou announced additional testing requirements for people entering from other provinces.</p>.<p>Beijing reported 79 symptomatic and 436 asymptomatic cases for Friday compared with 100 symptomatic and 366 asymptomatic cases the previous day, government data showed.</p>.<p>Beijing authorities are on high alert in the hope of preventing the numerous Omicron variant outbreaks in other cities from spreading to the capital.</p>.<p>The latest data for the country showed 24,263 new domestically transmitted cases, of which 2,055 were symptomatic and 22,208 were asymptomatic, down from 25,129 the previous day.</p>.<p>That daily tally is approaching the highs of when the financial hub of Shanghai was locked down earlier in the year.</p>.<p>This time, however, the cases are distributed across numerous cities, where authorities are weighing the costs and benefits of loosening policies that have damaged businesses.</p>.<p>Guangzhou, a city in the south of nearly 19 million people, reported 269 new domestically transmitted symptomatic cases and 8,444 asymptomatic cases, compared with 255 symptomatic and 8,989 asymptomatic cases a day before, authorities said.</p>.<p>Guangzhou authorities recently announced they would build facilities with more than 250,000 hospital beds to cope with the rising cases. This week, residents staged a protest in defiance of strict lockdown policies.</p>.<p>The manufacturing hub of Zhengzhou reported 182 new symptomatic locally transmitted COVID infections and 1,385 asymptomatic cases, compared with 107 symptomatic and 1,556 asymptomatic cases a day before, according to government data.</p>.<p>Lockdowns in the city sent some workers fleeing from a factory operated by Apple iPhone manufacturer Foxconn. Authorities have responded by offering low-level officials and residents cash bonuses on top of wages if they stay on the production lines. </p>