Corona outbreaks: millions of Chinese in lockdown

In China, millions of people have to accept tough restrictions again because of new corona outbreaks. A one-week partial lockdown began in the city of Xi’an – there are also restrictions in other parts of the country.

The authorities in Xi’an registered a total of 29 corona cases by yesterday evening – therefore public buildings, schools, shops, sports facilities and bars will remain closed for a week from today. In the city famous for its Terracotta Army, restaurants are only allowed to offer take-away food.

20,000 people in isolation

In other parts of the country, too, the authorities have imposed restrictions after new corona outbreaks. According to media reports, more than 20,000 contact persons of infected people have been taken to state isolation facilities in one district in the east Chinese province of Anhui in the past few days. There have been more than 1,000 confirmed corona cases in the province in the past seven days.

In the economic metropolis of Shanghai, mass tests were again ordered because of individual new infections in nine of 16 districts. In Shanghai and Beijing, the authorities only relaxed corona restrictions in June. Shanghai was in strict lockdown in April and May.

Zero Covid policy against variant BA5.2

Despite the low number of new infections compared to Germany, China is sticking to its zero-Covid policy. Local administrations should keep the number of people infected with the virus as close to zero as possible. However, the highly contagious omicron variant BA5.2 presents the authorities with immense challenges.