The Chinese province of Jilin has placed about 108 million people into lockdown on Monday after roughly 34 new cases of coronavirus and one death were identified in the region over the past week, according to a new report from Bloomberg News. The new lockdown demonstrates widespread fear in China of witnessing another uncontrollable outbreak like the one in Wuhan that set off the global covid-19 pandemic in December 2019.
Government officials in the cities of Jilin, which is situated in China’s northeast, have stopped buses and trains from leaving and entering the province and schools have been closed. Three new cases were reported on Saturday and two new cases were reported on Sunday. The entire province of Jilin has just 127 total confirmed cases of covid-19 and two deaths, largely a credit to imposing strict lockdown measures in February and March, just like Wuhan.
It’s unclear what caused the new outbreak in Jilin, though there’s speculation it may have something to do with people returning from Russia, the second worst hit country in the world, following the United States. The U.S. has identified over 1.4 million cases and 89,564 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker. Russia has identified at least 290,000 cases and 2,722 deaths. China has reported over 84,000 cases 4,638 deaths. The U.S., Russia, and China tallies are all believed to be much lower than the actual numbers of cases and deaths.
The new lockdown in Jilin is much more strict than what’s considered’s “lockdown” in many western countries, where people are largely free to leave their homes whenever they like for visits to the grocery store and to exercise.
From Bloomberg News:
The government of Shulan, a city in Jilin, said on WeChat Monday it would put in place its strictest measures yet to contain the virus. Residential compounds with confirmed or suspected cases will be closed off, with only one person from each family allowed to leave to purchase essentials for two hours every two days.
The decision to lock down after just 34 new cases is in sharp contrast to the way that U.S. officials are approaching the pandemic. For example, Pennsylvania announced 623 new cases yesterday and 15 new deaths. South Carolina announced 163 new cases yesterday and five new deaths. Both states have relaxed lockdown restrictions, much like the vast majority of local governments across the country.
At least six government officials have been fired Jilin as a result of the new outbreak, according to the Caixin news outlet. So far, the only people who have been fired in the U.S. over the pandemic’s spread have been whistleblowers warning about the Trump regime’s abysmal response.
In fact, President Donald Trump took to Twitter late Sunday night to whine about an interview with whistleblower Richard Bright, a former high-ranking vaccine specialist in the federal government, who spoke with 60 Minutes.
“@60Minutes & third place anchor, @NorahODonnell, are doing everything in their power to demean our Country, much to the benefit of the Radical Left Democrats. Tonight they put on yet another Fake “Whistleblower”, a disgruntled employee who supports Dems, fabricates stories, & spews lies,” Trump tweeted after 10:00 p.m. on Sunday.
“@60Minutes report was incorrect, which they couldn’t care less about. Fake News! I don’t know this guy, never met him, but don’t like what I see. How can a creep like this show up to work tomorrow & report to @SecAzar, his boss, after trashing him on T.V.?” Trump continued.
Trump went on to demean all whistleblowers, and called for government investigations into whistleblowers.
“This whole Whistleblower racket needs to be looked at very closely, it is causing great injustice & harm. I hope you are listening @SenSusanCollins I also hope that Shari Redstone will take a look at her poorly performing gang. She knows how to make things right!”