China Covid cases: Chaoyang accounts for the largest share of cases in Beijing’s current outbreak
Beijing:
China’s capital Beijing closed more gyms, malls, cinemas and apartment blocks on Friday, officials ramped up contact tracing to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, while anger grew over a draconian month-long lockdown in Shanghai. doing.
At the finance hub, people stranded in different districts are protesting the lockdown and difficulties in obtaining provisions by beating pots and pans during the evening hours, according to a Reuters witness and residents.
A video shared on social media, the authenticity of which could not be immediately verified, showed a woman warning people not to do so through a loud-haler, with such gestures being used by “outsiders”. was being encouraged.
The Shanghai government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the capital, Chaoyang district, the first among its 3.5 million residents to undergo mass testing this week, began the last three rounds of screening on Friday. Most of the other districts are to have their third round of tests on Saturday.
Chaoyang, accounting for the largest share of cases in Beijing’s current outbreak, advances measures to curb transmission as it has declared more neighborhoods at risk.
People who had recently visited places in such areas have received text messages asking them to stay there until they get their test results.
“Hello citizens! You recently visited the beef noodles and braised chicken shop in Guangzhou Li community,” read one such text. “Please report to your premises or hotel immediately, stop and wait for the notification of the nucleic acid test.”
“If you violate the above requirements and cause the epidemic situation to spread, you will bear legal responsibility.”
At testing sites, staff in blue aprons urged people in queues to follow the 2 meter social distancing rule as loud-heelers reminded the crowd to keep their masks on.
Additional apartment blocks were sealed and some spas, KTV lounges, gyms, cinemas and libraries, and at least two shopping malls closed on Friday, while couriers and food delivery staff were denied entry to some residential complexes. given.
Companies like e-commerce platform JD.com are making efforts to keep residents in good supply.
Ming Tang, 32, who heads one of its logistics centers on the outskirts of Beijing, said delivery volumes have increased by 65% since the first cases were reported on April 22, and 80% of parcels are food-related.
“The effort of delivering the parcel on time and the long working hours put a lot of pressure on our couriers,” he said.
Beijing reported 49 cases on April 28, up from 50 the previous day.
waiting to leave
Shanghai reported 52 new COVID-19 deaths on April 28, up from 47 the day before, the local government said on Friday. It recorded 9,545 new asymptomatic cases on April 28, up from 9,330 a day earlier, while symptomatic cases rose to 5,487 from 1,292.
While some distribution bottlenecks have been eased in the city, there has been increasing criticism of the government, especially on the subject of government food provisions. Taking to social media to compare deliveries, residents of some districts complain that their rations are less than others.
The lockdown is prompting foreign residents to flee mainland China’s most cosmopolitan city.
Although no official figures are available for departures in recent weeks, pet movers, property agents and law firms say they are seeing a sharp uptick, while online groups have been advised about swapping. How to leave
“Till the lockdown I couldn’t really feel the authoritarian government, because you’re more or less free to do what you want and I’ve never really been oppressed,” said Jennifer Lee, a foreigner, who cares for her family. making plans. The city that has been his home for 11 years.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)