As Shanghai starts mass testing, Beijing warns of a "explosive" COVID outbreak
Key Takeaways:
- The situation in Beijing, China's capital, is "explosive." A government spokesman said on Saturday that the COVID-19 outbreak was linked to a pub.
- All 61 new cases detected in Beijing on Friday had either visited or had ties to the Heaven Supermarket Bar, according to authorities.
- The Universal Beijing Resort, a massive theme park on the outskirts of the city, scrapped plans to reopen on Friday.
Beijing, China's capital, is suffering an "explosive" situation. On Saturday, a government spokesman claimed that the COVID-19 epidemic was linked to a bar. At the same time, Shanghai's economic hub conducted mass testing to curb an increase in cases linked to a hair salons.
The warning came as Beijing's COVID restrictions were tightened again on Thursday, with at least 2 districts banning several entertainment venues following a flare-up in a district known for nightlife, shopping, and embassies.
Although China's infection rate is low by global standards, the country maintains a zero-COVID policy, citing the necessity to protect the elderly and the healthcare system, even as other countries strive to live with the virus.
COVID-19 has claimed the lives of only 5,226 people in the 1.4 billion-strong country thus far.
Authorities in Beijing confirmed that all 61 new cases discovered in the city on Friday had either visited or had ties to the Heaven Supermarket Bar.
"The recent outbreak... is highly explosive in form and vast in reach," Beijing municipal administration spokeswoman Xu Hejian said at a press conference.
As of 3 p.m. on Saturday, the capital has registered 46 new local cases, all of whom were already isolated or under observation, according to health official Liu Xiaofeng.
At the briefing, the city did not disclose any new restrictions. Still, the Beijing Sports Administration later announced that all off-campus and "offline" sports events for teenagers would be canceled beginning Sunday.
So far, 115 cases and 6,158 close contacts have been traced to the bar, re-igniting fear in the city of 22 million people.
Beijing only loosened restrictions imposed to combat a big outbreak that began in April a few weeks ago.
On Friday, the Universal Beijing Resort, a huge theme park on the city's outskirts, canceled plans to reopen. Three of the city's employees claimed to have gone to the Heaven Supermarket bar. Read the entire story here.
Many areas of the capital have been placed under lockdown, and inhabitants have been instructed to stay at home.