With Covid outbreak on mind, organisers postpone Beijing marathon in China
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With the rising Covid cases on mind, organisers have postponed Beijing marathon in China. On Monday, China reported 39 new domestic infections. On October 31, some 30,000 people were expected to take part in the race
With the rising Covid infections on the mind, organisers have postponed the weekend’s Beijing marathon in China. The country also seeks to return to zero cases ahead of the Winter Olympics.
On Monday, China reported 39 new domestic infections. The cases are rising after an outbreak spread by a travelling group of tourists in the latest test of the country’s zero-tolerance approach with just over 100 days until the start of the Games.
Until further notice, Beijing marathon’s organisers have postponed the run “to prevent the risk of the epidemic spreading (and) effectively protect the health and safety of the majority of runners, staff and residents.” On October 31, some 30,000 people were expected to take part in the race.
Meanwhile, the Wuhan Marathon, which was due to take place on Sunday, has been postponed due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, just ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Authorities have been making attempts to contain virus infections using mass testing of residents and targeted lockdowns. However, with a rise in cases, organisers of the Wuhan Marathon said in a statement released that they would postpone Sunday's event in the central Chinese city "to prevent the risk of epidemic spread".
(With inputs from agencies)