China eases some Covid controls

A newspaper reported Beijing, the capital, has begun allowing some people with the virus to isolate at home, avoiding crowded quarantine centres that have prompted complaints.

On Thursday, the government reported 36,061 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, including 31,911 without symptoms (Andy Wong/AP)

More Chinese cities eased anti-virus restrictions and police patrolled their streets Thursday as the government tried to defuse public anger over some of the world’s most stringent Covid measures and head off more protests.

Following weekend demonstrations at which some crowds made the politically explosive demand that leader Xi Jinping resign, the streets of major cities have been quiet in the face of a crackdown that has been largely out of sight.