China: The largest number of new infections since March 2020

In China, the number of coronavirus infections continues to rise. Nationwide, authorities today recorded 206 new coronavirus infections – more than in March 2020. The hot spot is the city of Xi’an, where 13 million residents have been locked down since Thursday.

155 of the new infections were reported in Xi’an. Local authority representative He Wenquan said that the number of confirmed cases is expected to continue to rise in the coming days. At the same time, he called on residents in the capital not to panic in light of the developments.

According to the authorities, residents of Xi’an have already been tested for the coronavirus in several group tests. So the “complete” cleansing of the city should begin in the evening.

Strict approach to the outbreak

Although the number of cases in China is still small compared to other countries, the authorities are cracking down on the new outbreak. Regional closures, mass testing and travel restrictions are common.

Authorities are keen to contain the virus ahead of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February. But in Xi’an, the authorities have tightened communication restrictions. Only one member of each family is now allowed to leave the house every three days to take care of much-needed errands.