China’s National Health Commission has reported that on November 12th, there were 14,878 new Covid-19 infections reported, with 1,711 being symptomatic, and 13,167 reported as asymptomatic.

The 14,878 was a substantial increase over the 11,950 new cases reported a day earlier, with 1,504 symptomatic and 10,446 asymptomatic.

Local cases, with exclude imported infections, were counted at 14,761 infections, with 1,675 symptomatic and 13,086 asymptomatic. That is up from 11,803 one day prior.

There were no new deaths, which was the same as one day prior, which maintained fatalities at 5,226. As of Saturday’s figures mainland China had 271,968 confirmed cases with symptoms.

Beijing reported 161 symptomatic cases and 74 asymptomatic cases the day prior, according to local government data.

In the south, Guangzhou, with a population of nearly 19 million, had 189 new local symptomatic cases, and 3,464 asymptomatic cases. That was compared with 259 symptomatic and 2,921 asymptomatic cases one day prior.

It is unclear what effect this will have in the country over the longer term. Although China has followed a strict “zero-Covid” policy which immediately implements strict lockdowns and testing procedures in an effort to eradicate any new infections, lately there have been indications the government may be moving away from those policies, as infections seem to become less virulent, and the virus less dangerous.

While it is possible these rising infection numbers could precipitate strict lockdowns again, it is also possible if the rising cases show no immediate societal detriment, the government might dispense with its strict measures even further, to help the economy reopen faster and more powerfully, and to reestablish China’s trade dominance as one of the top manufacturing hubs on the world stage.

As the investment world looks on for any sign China is reopening for good, there are hopeful indications.