BEIJING – A strict lockdown has been imposed in the northern Chinese city of Xi’an with asking all 13 million residents to stay home amid an intensifying Covid-19 outbreak.
With Beijing preparing to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in February 2022, China is facing local outbreaks in several cities.
Xi’an recorded 52 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the tally to 143 since December 9.
The lockdown will start from midnight on Thursday, allowing only one member of a household to outside once every two days to buy necessities. The other members of the family will remain indoor except for emergencies, the city government announced in a statement.
It has also barred residents from leaving the country unless necessary, adding that those seeking to travel would have to provide evidence of “special circumstances” and apply for approval.
The development comes a day after the city launched mass testing of all of its 13 million residents.
The city government has closed long-distance bus stations and schools, besides grounding 85% of flights to and from the city.
All “non-essential” businesses and public facilities aside from supermarkets, convenience stores and medical institutions have been ordered to close, while the local government has urged employers to allow people to work from home, the CCTV reported.
