China

China stands ready to work with India for “steady and sound” growth of relations between the two countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said as he stressed that both nations are committed to upholding stability in border areas.

A leaked document purportedly from China's National Health Commission suggested that about 248 million people around the country, roughly 17.56 per cent of the total population, were affected by the Covid surge between December 1 and 20.

Covid cases in India: Following the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in China and other nations, the government decided to randomly test 2 per cent of passengers arriving on international flights starting on Saturday morning.

According to TIGS Director Rakesh Mishra, China has seen an unprecedented increase in COVID-19 cases as the country has not experienced the various waves of infection that India has. Additionally, Mishra said that the Chinese population is not exposed to natural infection and that they did not use the time to vaccinate elderly people.

Covid cases in India: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya made a suo motu statement in the Rajya Sabha, on Thursday, on the country's preparedness. Mandaviya said, "The government is constantly monitoring the situation. There are no direct flights between India and China; however, people travel through other routes."

COVID was back at the centre of India’s health and political map with the government advising people to get vaccinated and mask up, and saying random sample testing will be conducted at airports for passengers arriving from China and other countries.

Samples of those arriving from foreign countries will be randomly tested for coronavirus, health ministry sources said on Wednesday. According to Health Secretary Yashpal Garg, the Central government has already issued instructions to keep track of COVID cases and related trends.

It is reportedly said that the Chinese cities are currently hit by the highly transmissible Omicron strain, mostly BF.7 which is the main variant spreading in Beijing and is contributing to a wider surge of Covid infections in that country.

The Shiv Sena leader's comment was a reference to China's border aggression in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang earlier this month, which triggered a row in Parliament with the opposition, including Thackeray's Sena, taking on the ruling BJP.

The government has mandated samples from Covid positive patients be forwarded daily to INSACOG genome sequencing facilities mapped with all states and UTs. INSACOG is a body within the Health Ministry that analyses and monitors various Covid strains in India.