China logs 44 new local Covid-19 infections amid uptick in cases: Report

China reported 44 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, on Tuesday, the National Health Commission said Wednesday, Xinhua reported.

35 cases have been found in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region out of the 44 detected infections.

From the devasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the economic slowdown in the country, China has been facing severe criticism due to its so-called "zero Covid policy".

It is well known that Chinese president Xi Jinping exerts significant control on the governance and political frameworks.

Beijing's extreme lockdowns have led to protests and clashes between authorities and residents forced to stay home for weeks without normal access to food and medical supplies.

The harsh lockdowns look set to depress economic growth to lows last recorded in the early 1990s.

China's much-publicized 'zero-covid' strategy that the government credited for bringing the country out of the pandemic till recently is falling apart as the rapidly mounting cases are again forcing mass lockdowns like those seen in 2020.