Henan reported 64 domestically transmitted local infections with confirmed symptoms for Wednesday, up from just four a day earlier, official data showed on Thursday.
Although the numbers are tiny compared with many places in the world, and no cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant have been reported so far in Henan, several cities there imposed new limits on travel or economic activities in response to a rash of new cases.
China's national policy of stamping out clusters quickly as they appear has taken on extra urgency in the run up to the Winter Games, being hosted by Beijing and nearby Hebei starting Feb. 4.
China's state planner also said that preventing the virus from spreading would become harder during coming weeks, when masses of people will travel for the Lunar New Year holiday.
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