BEIJING (AP) – China’s capital Beijing on Monday began testing millions of residents and closing residential and commercial districts amid a fresh outbreak of COVID-19.
While only 70 cases have been found in the city of more than 21 million people since the outbreak began on Friday, authorities have taken extreme measures to prevent the virus from spreading further.
Residents stayed home and stocked up on groceries to guard against the possibility of being locked indoors, as has happened in several cities including the financial hub of Shanghai.
Shanghai, which has been in lockdown for more than two weeks, reported more than 19,000 new infections and 51 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll from the ongoing outbreak to well over 100.
Long queues formed in supermarkets in central Beijing. Shoppers snatched up rice, noodles, vegetables and other groceries while store employees hastily restocked some empty shelves. State media issued reports that supplies in Beijing remained plentiful despite the buying rush.
Buyers seemed concerned but not panicked just yet. A woman carrying two bags of vegetables, eggs and frozen dumplings said she was buying a little more than usual. One man said he wasn’t worried but just be careful as he has a 2 year old daughter.
Beijing health officials said 29 more cases had been identified in the 24 hours to 4 p.m. Monday, bringing the total to 70 since Friday.
The city has ordered mass testing in the sprawling Chaoyang District, where 46 of the cases were found. Chaoyang’s more than 3 million residents, as well as people who work in the district, must be tested on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Test sites were set up overnight and early morning in residential complexes and office buildings in Chaoyang District.
“I think Beijing should be fine,” Gao Haiyang said while waiting online for a COVID-19 test. “Based on previous responses from my community, I think care can be guaranteed in the event of an emergency. We also learned from other cities. I think we can prepare well.”
The central city of Anyang, along with Dandong on the border with North Korea, also announced lockdowns as the Omicron variant spreads across the vast country.
China’s borders remain largely closed as China’s harsh response and the economic impact of the pandemic continue to mount.