Other cities in China impose strict measures

In China, a few weeks before the Winter Olympics in Beijing and the main travel season for New Year’s celebrations, due to the rising numbers of coronavirus, authorities are pushing their zero-Covid-19 strategy with more stringent restrictions. In central Henan Province, 64 locally transmitted asymptomatic infections were reported today, up from just four yesterday. For this reason, strict preventive measures were immediately imposed.

The city of Xuchang, for example, has restricted the freedom of movement of its citizens to a minimum and ordered mass testing of more than four million residents. Gushi district, with a population of one million, has been effectively cordoned off after an asymptomatic and asymptomatic case of infection was identified. In the cities of Hebei and Kaifeng, cultural and recreational facilities were closed even without evidence of a new infection.

Flights to Xi’an have been suspended

In the northwestern Chinese city of Xi’an, which has been cordoned off for more than two weeks, 63 new local infections were reported. That’s nearly double the 35 cases the day before, but far less than the daily number of cases in the last week of December.

China has since suspended flights to and from the city of Xi’an. Strict measures there have increasingly restricted residents’ access to the most important elements of daily life as well as to medical treatment in hospitals.

Posts about a pregnant woman who lost her baby after waiting to bleed outside a local hospital sparked outrage on social media. According to state media, the hospital’s general manager has been suspended and some other employees have been relieved of their duties.