China expanding mass lockdown

In the months following the largest coronavirus outbreak in China, authorities have increased curfew for millions outside Beijing. Shijiazhuang and Jingtai also according to the 18 million inhabitants of the metropolis Five million residents of Langfang Administrative District Not outside the door for seven days south of the Chinese capital, as the city’s government announced on Monday.

According to official information, the virus was largely under control since the summer in China, and life is long since normal, with officials highly concerned. About 500 infections have been detected so far in Hebei Province, which surrounds Beijing. The Health Commission reported 40 new cases on Tuesday. The day before, Hebei had 82 infections and 103 nationwide – the highest daily number in China since July.

Even if the number is small compared to other countries, officials immediately respond with strict measures that have proved effective: curfew, mass testing, transportation connection interruption, quarantine and contact tracing. Strict entry restrictions also apply. Due to the outbreak, the annual session of the Hebei Provincial Parliament was also postponed to 25 January.

The exact cause of the new infection is still unknown. According to state media, the first cases were discovered in villages whose residents worked at the international airport in the provincial capital of Shijiazhuang. The infection mainly spreads in rural areas – including weddings and funerals.

More than a year ago, the first infection with the new Saras-COV-2 virus was discovered in the Wuhan metropolis of central China., Which has since developed into a global epidemic and infected tens of millions of people. According to official figures, more than 1.9 million people have died worldwide. (dpa)