Fears of a new wave of the coronavirus pandemic abound after 27 new infections were recorded in Beijing, China resulting in authorities placing a swath of the capital under lockdown.
Moreover, New Zealand recorded new infections in almost a month on Tuesday a development which suggests that the world has a long way to go until the fight against the novel virus is over.
This comes when some European Union nations reopened their borders to fellow Europeans while major football leagues in the world have resolved to resume.
China had largely brought its outbreak under control, but, the new infections which are linked to a wholesale food market has sparked mass testing and neighbourhood lockdowns.
As the number of confirmed infections soared to 106, Beijing city spokesman Xu Hejian warned:
The epidemic situation in the capital is extremely severe.
The virus initially emerged in China in December last year and has since rapidly spread across the world killing hundreds of thousands.
There was hope recently that the world can finally overcome the virus but new infections raise fears of resurgence while the momentum at which the virus is spreading in other regions with massive populations is already causing headaches to health authorities.
More: Bangkok Post