Beijing, Oct 10 (BNA): Chinese cities imposed new lockdowns and travel restrictions after the number of new COVID-19 cases tripled during a week-long holiday, ahead of a major Communist Party meeting in Beijing next week.
The state-run CCTV reported that the latest lockdown began on Monday in Fenyang City, in north China’s Shanxi Province, after an initial positive case was detected in a citywide test the day before.
In nearby Inner Mongolia, the capital, Hohhot, announced that outbound vehicles and passengers will be barred from entering the city from Tuesday. The Associated Press reported that Hohhot recorded more than 2,000 cases over the course of about 12 days.
China is one of the few places in the world that is still resorting to drastic measures to prevent the spread of the disease. The long-ruling Communist Party is particularly concerned as it tries to present a positive image of the nation in the run-up to the party’s five-yearly congress that begins on Sunday.
Travel decreased during the annual National Day holiday that began on October 1, as authorities discouraged people from leaving their cities and counties. But the number of new daily cases still rose to about 1,800 from 600 at the start of the interval.
Leaders don’t want the outbreak to overshadow Congress, but their tough “zero COVID” approach has taken an economic toll, particularly on small businesses and temporary workers. Many in China hope the epidemic policy will ease after the meeting.
Outbreaks of the disease have been reported across the country, with the largest in Inner Mongolia and the country’s far western region of Xinjiang. Both were recording several hundred new cases a day.
Shanghai, where residents suffered prolonged lockdowns earlier this year, and the national capital Beijing have seen a small but growing number of cases. Two districts in Shanghai announced the closure of movie theaters and other entertainment venues last week.
Line up for a free virus test several times a week has become the norm for many Chinese, with Beijing and other cities requiring a negative test result within 72 hours to enter parks, office buildings, stores and other public places.
EAE