BEIJING, Dec. 22 (BNA): China on Wednesday ordered the closure of up to 13 million people in neighborhoods and workplaces in the northern city of Xi’an after a sharp rise in coronavirus cases, sparking panic just weeks before the country. It hosts the Winter Olympics.
Official media reported that city officials ordered all residents to stay at home unless they had an urgent reason to go out and stopped all transportation to and from the city except for special cases.
An Associated Press report said today that the order was in effect at midnight and continues indefinitely.
The order said one person per household would be allowed out every two days to buy household necessities.
On Wednesday, the city of Xi’an reported 52 new locally transmitted coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours.
China has adopted strict anti-epidemic measures under its own zero-transmission program, which has led to frequent lockdowns, mass concealment and mass testing.
These measures were intensified in the final days before the start of the Winter Olympics in Beijing on February 4.