China plunges millions back into lockdown

Two Chinese cities south of Beijing have tightened virus restrictions on Saturday and issued week-long stay at home orders to residents as authorities race to stamp out a resurgence in infections.

China has largely brought its domestic outbreak under control after the coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan in late 2019 but a spike in Hebei province, bordering Beijing, has sparked fresh lockdowns ahead of the Lunar New Year next month.

Hebei has reported over 130 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the past week, with more than 200 more asymptomatic infections.

Most of the cases were in Shijiazhuang city, which along with its surrounding areas is home to 11 million people. Several other infections were reported in neighbouring Xingtai city, home to 7 million.

Overnight, both cities announced new, week-long stay at home orders for their residents, officials said.

Shijiazhuang also closed its subway from Saturday morning to aid “prevention and control of the outbreak”, authorities said, with taxi services also suspended.

Major highways leading into the city, around 300 kilometres south of Beijing, have already been closed and intercity passenger travel halted.

Supermarkets in Shijiazhuang are now closed to walk-in customers, officials said later Saturday, with purchases limited to online orders and contactless deliveries.

More than 16 million people across the two cities had been tested for the virus since Wednesday, state media reported.

“We haven’t seen a clear turning point yet in this outbreak,” said Shijiazhuang official Ma Yujun. “The risk of expansion still exists.”