Latest China coronavirus outbreak spreads to second city

The latest outbreak of coronavirus in China has spread to a second city as authorities attempt to stop the virus from spreading.

The Associated Press reported Monday that one of 17 cases of COVID-19 reported in China on Monday was confirmed in Kashgar, an ancient city located in the northwestern Xinjiang province.

Authorities have responded to the infection with travel restrictions, according to the AP. Sixteen other cases reported in China on Monday were all in the Xinjiang regional capital of Urumqi, site of the country’s latest outbreak.

China has largely gained a hold over its coronavirus outbreak after the country was the site of the first outbreak of the virus late last year and into early 2020. A surge of cases in the city of Wuhan was contained and the country has reported fewer than 100 new infections per day for weeks.

The Trump administration has continued to launch a barrage of criticism at China over its handling of the virus even as the U.S. case rate has surged past all other countries and China’s has largely dropped off.

Top U.S. officials have accused China of hiding true case numbers and death counts while stymieing global health experts who sought information about the virus’s spread early on.

The U.S. reported more than 63,000 new infections on Sunday and has seen more than 3.8 million confirmed coronavirus cases since the outbreak began, eclipsing China’s total case count of just under 86,000.