China puts 13mn people in Xi'an under 'harshest' COVID lockdown ahead of Winter Olympics

Considering the spike in COVID-19 cases, as many as 13 million people in Xi'an were put under strict stay-at-home orders beginning Thursday to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The order has set off panic just ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games as state media reported that city officials have directed the citizens to not step out of their houses unless they had "pressing reasons". Further strengthening the measures, the local officials have also suspended all transport to and from the Northern city of Xi'an, with exemptions for "special cases", the Associated Press reported.

As per the order released on Wednesday, one person from every household will be permitted out every two days to purchase groceries and necessary items after the measures were implemented from last midnight. As per reports, the order is to last indefinitely and comes as a part of the strict control measures undertaken by the Xi Jinping-led government under its zero-transmission program. These have also included frequent lockdowns, universal masking and mass testing.

Xi'an restrictions 'harshest' since beginning of pandemic

With an eye towards the successful execution of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games amid widespread diplomatic boycott over security concerns, human rights violation, and rise in COVID cases, Beijing has beefed up its already-tough measures. Days ahead of the Games to be held on February 4, China announced the measures, which are deemed as "harshest," in a report by Associated Press. The said intensity of lockdown comes after China pushed nearly 11 million people into their homes for a couple of months in Wuhan, when COVID was first detected in the city of Wuhan in late 2019.

On Wednesday, the Chinese government assured citizens of Xi'an that new supplies would be made available by Thursday. Nevertheless, several videos and images surfaced on social media showing people panic-buying groceries and household items. It is to be noted that Xi'an on Wednesday reported as many as 52 new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. As per CNBC, the city is also dealing with undisclosed cases of a high mortality disease transmitted by rodents. On the other hand, a larger COVID outbreak in southeastern China began to subside this week.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)