China: 21 People were Stabbed in a Hospital, Leaving at least two dead

There have been at least two fatalities and twenty-one injuries reported after a knife attack at a hospital in southwest China.

According to the authorities, the stabbing occurred at Zhenxiong People’s Hospital in Yunnan province at 11:37 local time (03:37 GMT).

Pictures from China’s The Paper showed a man in black entering the hospital and brandishing knives in both hands.

The suspect, according to the police, is from Zhenxiong’s Poji town. If he had been arrested, it was unclear.

23 individuals were reportedly hurt, according to state media reporting initially, but officials have now lowered the number.

“The injured are currently receiving care in the hospital. Police said in a statement that investigations are still ongoing.

At least a dozen police officers and police cars were visible outside the hospital in footage that was published by The Paper. There looked to be barricades at the entrance to the hospital’s parking lot.

“They’re still working out the numbers, so things are still rather disorganised. It’s being investigated by the police,” a neighbourhood resident told The Paper.

According to Chinese news source Hongxing News, authorities have instructed locals to “lock their doors” and “avoid contact with unknown persons” as well as merchants.

China forbids the possession of firearms, however in recent years, there have been numerous knife attacks there.

In August of last year, a man with a history of mental illness assaulted individuals in a residential area of Yunnan with a knife, resulting in two fatalities and seven injuries.

Six individuals, three of whom were children, were stabbed to death in July of that same year at a kindergarten in the southeast province of Guangdong.