A “bleak” situation in Beijing .. Corona is spreading and China may resort to strict closures

The authorities of the Chinese capital, Beijing, said that they are seeking to track the outbreak of Covid-19, which may have spread in the capital a week ago, which increases the possibility that stricter restrictions will be implemented soon, as happened with other Chinese cities.

Officials in Beijing said at a press conference, Saturday, that they are tracking cases in multiple regions, while the capital reported 22 new local cases, Saturday, according to the national health authorities, on Sunday.

“The city has recently witnessed many outbreaks involving multiple transmission chains, and the risk of continuous and undetected transmission is high,” said a Beijing official, Tian Wei, adding that “the situation is urgent and grim, the whole city should act immediately.”

The pressure to contain the outbreak in the capital comes as cases continue to rise in Shanghai, despite the failed weeks-long shutdown that brought the financial center to a standstill, according to CNN, while the city recorded more than 20,000 new cases, Saturday, according to national figures released in the morning. Sunday.

On Sunday, Shanghai officials announced 39 new deaths among COVID-19 patients.

That represents a record since city officials first reported deaths during the city’s ongoing outbreak, although questions have been raised about whether the numbers accurately represent all deaths.

In Beijing, authorities mobilized efforts to curb transmission, with more than 20 cases detected in the capital while one middle school where multiple cases were detected was closed on Friday.

Several residential communities in the same area have been placed under a “management of control”, according to state media, using a term that usually means residents are prohibited from leaving the area while they are being tested.

Officials also warned parents not to travel outside the city due to the risk of reinfection.

Officials said that examination will also be increased in tourist groups, after cases were discovered among a group of elderly tourists who are now under quarantine. And at least one village in a Beijing suburb linked to a positive case while mass testing was underway.

The rush to contain the outbreak comes as fear grows across China that stricter measures may be waiting for cities as the country sticks to a “zero Covid” policy to stem the spread of the virus in every outbreak.

This policy has faced the most obvious challenge since March 1 as the highly contagious Omicron variant triggered several outbreaks simultaneously. And the number of cases has swelled to unprecedented levels in China, driven by widespread outbreaks in the northeastern Jilin Province and Shanghai.

The forced lockdowns and quarantines in Shanghai have sparked anger and desperation among citizens who have struggled to get food and medical care.

The city had previously said it would not implement a full citywide lockdown, leaving many unprepared when officials quickly changed course late last month.

The restrictions also extended to other regions with dozens of cities imposing some form of closure restrictions, according to a count released earlier this month.