China further eases Covid curbs following protests

Residents wearing masks wait at a public bus stop in Beijing (Ng Han Guan/AP)

Chinese authorities announced a further easing of Covid-19 curbs with major cities such as Shenzhen and Beijing no longer requiring negative tests to take public transport.

The slight relaxation of testing requirements comes even as daily virus infections reach near-record highs, and follows weekend protests across the country by residents frustrated by the rigid enforcement of anti-virus restrictions that are now entering their fourth year, even as the rest of the world has opened up.