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Beijing expands COVID-19 daily testing capacity to 90,000 to contain new infections
Beijing is conducting extensive COVID-19 screening, with its daily testing capacity reaching over 90,000 samples, as the Chinese capital works to stem new indigenous cases that have emerged in the past few days.
The city reported 79 confirmed domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases from June 11 to 14, most of which were related to the now-closed Xinfadi market, a large wholesale market of fruit, vegetable, and meat in Beijing’s Fengtai District, according to the local health commission. The city has conducted tests on people in contact with the market as well as in nearby communities, and strengthened control measures in efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
Beijing has expanded the number of nucleic acid testing institutions to 98 with the capacity to test over 90,000 samples daily, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission said at a press conference on Monday.
Compared with around a month ago, the number of testing institutions increased by 31 while the testing capacity increased by 42,000 samples, according to statistics given by the commission. On Sunday, the city conducted nucleic acid tests on 76,499 people, with 59 testing positive for COVID-19, according to the press conference.
As of 6am on Monday, 193 sampling sites had been set up across Beijing to facilitate nucleic acid testings, said Gao Xiaojun, spokesperson for the municipal health commission.
More than 8,000 dealers and workers at the Xinfadi market have received nucleic acid tests as of early Sunday and been put under medical observation, Xu Ying, an official with the Beijing municipal committee of the Communist Party of China, told the press conference on Monday.
About 200,000 people who had visited the market since May 30 were interviewed via door-to-door inquiries, calls, social media platforms and other methods. Nucleic acid tests for these people are underway while they are asked to stay at home for medical observation, Xu added.
Beijing has required medical institutions across the city, especially 79 institutions with fever clinics, to conduct nucleic acid and antibody tests on all fever patients and strengthen epidemiological investigation.
Apart from the testing, Beijing authorities have further tightened control measures on more communities.
Nearly 100,000 workers in 7,120 residential communities and villages have thrown themselves into the battle against the disease, Xu said. -Xinhua
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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