China has reported the lowest daily count of local confirmed Covid-19 infections in two weeks after cities sealed up areas of virus risk, quarantined infections and conducted mass testing.

Mainland China has reported a total of 55 domestically transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms for the last 24 hours, according to official data, lower than 127 a day earlier and marking the fewest since January 4.

The drop was mainly driven by fewer infections in the central city of Anyang, which reported 29 new local symptomatic cases for Jan 18, compared with 94 the prior day, data from the National Health Commission showed.

Read more from Reuters here.

Workers wearing protective suits following the coronavirus outbreak stand next to daily necessities placed on makeshift delivery racks, at a residential compound under lockdown after a case of the Omicron variant was detected, in Beijing's Haidian district, China, January 18. — Reuters
Workers wearing protective suits following the coronavirus outbreak stand next to daily necessities placed on makeshift delivery racks, at a residential compound under lockdown after a case of the Omicron variant was detected, in Beijing's Haidian district, China, January 18. — Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...