Beijing Expands Covid Mass Testing To Nearly 20 Million Residents As It Races To Avoid Shanghai-Style Lockdown

Beijing has ordered nearly 20 million of its residents to be tested for Covid-19 as they try to control the spread of the corona.

On Monday, the city began testing 3.45 million residents of the most populous district, and then announced that mass testing will be expanded to cover 19.5 million of the city's population.

Beijing reported 33 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total to 47 since Saturday.

The outbreak in Beijing is coming fast and furious, and the efforts to control it have reached a critical moment.

Several residential compounds across the city have been shut down by authorities and the city's residents have been urged not to leave Beijing unless absolutely necessary.

Fears that Beijing could face a lengthy lockdown similar to the one in Shanghai caused panic buying in the city on Monday.

Despite the loosened restrictions, most residents of the city are still confined to their homes or residential compounds.

190. The total number of deaths reported by the city since the start of the outbreak is 52. Despite the toll being steep by China's standards, the country officially reported only 2 Covid deaths in 2021.

Further Reading

Beijing began mass testing its residents on Monday after city officials warned that the virus had been undetected in the Chinese capital for nearly a week. Stadiums, cinemas, karaoke bars and others have been ordered to shut down because public transport and schools in the city remain open. Beijing's case count is relatively low at the moment, but local authorities are trying to avoid a Shanghai-style upward spiral in infections. The current outbreak in China is caused by the highly infectious BA.2 Omicron variant of the virus. Chinese officials have vowed to stick to their approach. The economic impact of the Shanghai lock down, which hasn't fully managed to stomp out the virus in the city, has raised questions about the continued viability of such an effort. Anger and frustration have been caused by the stringent nature of the food shortages and stringentQuarantine measures that have been put in place in the city.

Beijing closes neighborhoods for mass COVID testing.

Beijing will test 20 million for carbon dioxide in a bid to avoid a Shanghai lockdown.

Beijing tests 20 million residents.