China detects 4 asymptomatic COVID cases, pushes 1 million citizens into lockdown in Wuhan

On detecting four cases of COVID-19, China on Tuesday announced to shut down the Wuhan district, pushing nearly 1 million into severe lockdown. The precautionary move came after authorities of Wuhan, which is ground zero of the devastating pandemic, whiffed asymptomatic cases in high-risk neighbourhoods of the Jiangxia region, CNN reported. As of now, the area will remain "temporarily closed" for three days, with all public gathering centers shut down.

According to local media reports, the city of 9,70,000 people will be unable to visit bars, restaurants, movie halls, places of worship, schools, and colleges. Further, the authorities also suspended all public transport, including buses and the subway. In addition, the Wuhan administration directed people not to leave home unless "absolutely necessary," adhering to China's controversial 'zero-COVID' policy.

Four asymptomatic cases reported from Wuhan

The lockdown was announced after the Jiangxia region of the Wuhan district recorded two asymptomatic cases late on Tuesday during regular testing drives. Two others were discovered to be in close contact with the primary cases. It is to be mentioned that Wuhan was the epicenter of infection from what was described as a pneumonia-like virus.

Ever since, the second-largest economy has undergone several paralysing snap lockdowns to tame the spread after months of downplaying the severity, which eventually led to a global outbreak.

A statement by the Wuhan administration said that the lockdown aimed at "further reducing the flow of people with lower risk of cross-infection and achieving dynamic zero-COVID in the shortest while," CNN reported.

Snap lockdown leaves over 2,000 tourists stranded in Chinese coastal city

As China continues its series of stringent measures to contain further sporadic outbreaks after the last worst one in Shanghai, Beijing last week shuttered the coastal city of Beihai. As cases surged to 450 (recorded since July 16) in Beihai, the authorities declared a regional snap lockdown.

The unplanned decision left over 2,000 tourists in the coastal city stranded with no means to depart. However, on Sunday, local authorities allowed tourists with negative COVID reports to leave, while ordering residents to remain under quarantine, local Chinese media reported.

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