Baoding, a city in China’s northern Hebei province near Beijing, made internet site Weibo’s hot search chart this week. The viral hashtag: #BaodingOutbreak#. China is scrapping draconian COVID-19 restrictions following countrywide demonstrations, some violent, demanding an end to the “zero COVID” policy, with its onerous testing, lengthy lockdowns and forced quarantines. On December 7, China’s health authority sidelined mandatory COVID-19 tests and green “health codes” before anyone could enter most public venues. It also limited harsh lockdowns. Although many in China cheered the return to more normal times, fears also grew about a flood of new infections. In Baoding, population 9 million, evidence emerged to back up those fears. Since the end of November, authorities in Baoding had been reporting zero new confirmed cases and very few asymptomatic cases. But on December 3, Baoding residents began flooding Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, with passionate posts reporting their illnesses and frustration. https://www.polygraph.info/a/fact-check-baoding-sick-residents-dispute-official-claim-of-near-zero-covid-cases/6868512.html » Subscribe to VOA News: https://bit.ly/3KIPysi » Watch more VOA News video: https://www.youtube.com/c/VOANews Voice of America (VOA) is the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of 236.8 million people. VOA produces content for digital, television, and radio platforms. It is easily accessed via your mobile phone and on social media. It is also distributed by satellite, cable, FM and MW, and is carried on a network of approximately 3,000 affiliate stations. Since its creation in 1942, Voice of America has been committed to providing comprehensive coverage of the news and telling audiences the truth. Through World War II, the Cold War, the fight against global terrorism, and the struggle for freedom around the globe today, VOA exemplifies the principles of a free press. Connect with VOA News: » VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://www.voanews.com/ » LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/voanews » FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/voanews/ » FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/VOANews