Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg advise against non-essential travel to China. The reason is the peak of corona infections and the overloaded healthcare system in the country, reports the German Foreign Ministry.
Luxembourg agrees with the German council. The Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that China has experienced an unprecedented covid surge since the beginning of December due to the interruption of the zero-covid policy. Due to possible overcrowding in hospitals and the risk of a lack of urgent medical care as a result, non-essential travel is currently discouraged.’
Last week, the European Union strongly encouraged its 27 member states to screen travelers from China for covid before flights and possibly get tested upon arrival on European soil. Many countries, including the Netherlands since Friday, have decided that travelers from China will need a negative corona test from next week.
Reopening
That country will reopen its borders on Sunday after a long lockdown. A negative PCR test for up to 48 hours is required to enter China, but quarantine is no longer required. Beijing finds the obligation to test other countries “unacceptable” and threatened countermeasures last week.
The World Health Organization (WHO) in turn denounces the controversial methods with which China counts the number of corona victims. Despite overwhelmed hospitals and crowded crematoria, Beijing authorities are reporting very few covid-related deaths.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
