Coronavirus tally: Chinese authorities close Tibet's Potala Palace over small COVID outbreak
Chinese authorities have closed Tibet's Potala Palace after a small outbreak of COVID cases in the Himalayan region, the Associated Press reported. The action underscores China's continued adherence to its "zero-COVID" policy, mandating lockdowns, routine testing, quarantines and travel restrictions, even while most other countries have reopened. Meanwhile, more than 80,000 travelers remain stranded on the southern resort island of Hainan under requirements that they consistently test negative for the virus in coming days before being allowed to leave. In the U.S., the daily average for new cases continued its recent decline, but not all data are being captured as many people are testing at home. The average stood at 108,261 on Monday, according to a New York Times tracker, down 16% from two weeks ago. The daily average for hospitalizations was down 1% at 43,070, while the daily average for deaths is up 10% to 483. Globally, the confirmed case tally rose above 585.4 million on Tuesday, according to data aggregated by Johns 2Hopkins, while the death toll is above 6.42 million with the U.S. leading the world with 92.2 million cases and 1,034,021 deaths.
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