China imposes strict lockdown rules on millions of people in northeast amid COVID surge

As the COVID-19 cases continue to explode in China, the Chinese administration had imposed the stay at home orders on millions more people in the country’s northeast provinces.

After placing stringent lockdown restrictions on over 5 million people as it recorded the largest surge in COVID cases after the initial outbreak of the pandemic in Wuhan two years ago. Controlling the virus' initial breakout in 2020 with targeted lockdowns, mass testing, and travel restrictions, the country has mainly kept the illness at bay.  However, this time around with the reported spread of the 'stealth Omicron' variant, country's COVID curve is rising exponentially. Recently, China confirmed its two virus-related deaths in more than a year.

China reports two COVID related deaths after two years amid intense COVID flare-up

According to China's national health commission, the two deaths occurred in the northeastern region of Jilin. Jilin's 24 million citizens were barred from leaving the province or travelling between cities this week due to an increase in the number of cases there. 

The Xi Jinping administration has been obliged to reimpose lockdown on the COVID-19 hotspots amid intense outbreaks. According to media reports, lockdowns have been imposed in as many as 19 Chinese provinces. The recent surge of asymptomatic cases has prompted the shutdown of schools in Shanghai and other Chinese cities in the north-east. Since March 1, Changchun, a city of nine million people, has been under unprecedented lockdown. 

Stringent Restrictions imposed to control further spread of COVID 

Apart from schools, restaurants, malls, other public locations in China have also been subjected to restrictions. Malls and businesses in Shanghai, China's most populated metropolis and global financial centre, were also suspended. 

Furthermore, following the tightened restrictions in some areas of Shanghai, locals became infuriated, who was already irritated by the government's lack of sensitivity. On March 14, a video was broadcast on a Chinese Twitter account that showed Shanghai people being trapped in a certain area, using a megaphone to voice their concerns, ANI reported. 

China’s worsening COVID situation surfaced when hundreds of people were seen in Shenzhen, China's southern city, waiting in massive queues to get tested for the coronavirus. Videos of individuals waiting in long lines for their turn to undertake mandatory coronavirus testing appeared on social media. Adults were asked to do three PCR tests, while non-essential staff were told to stay at home, according to ANI. 

Image: AP