Beijing’s coronavirus situation is “extremely severe”, a city official warned Tuesday, as 27 new infections were reported in the Chinese capital from a cluster has sparked a huge trace-and-test program.
The coronavirus resurgence — believed to have started at the city’s sprawling Xinfadi wholesale food market — has prompted alarm as China had largely brought its outbreak under control through mass testing and draconian lockdowns imposed earlier in the year.
The new cases took the number of confirmed infections in Beijing over the past five days to 106, as authorities locked down almost 30 communities in the city and tested tens of thousands of people.
In recent months, China has lightened many of its steps against coronavirus, with the government declaring victory over the illness in Wuhan by the end of last year.
The World Health Organization, with its size and accessibility in Beijing, expressed concern about this cluster.
Stall owners and managers in all their food markets, restaurants and canteens have been tested by officials in the city.
The transport commission in the capital banned the transport of passengers out of the city from taxi and ride-hail service on Tuesday.
All indoor sports and entertainment venues were ordered to be shut on Monday, while certain other cities in China warned that they would arrive from the capital in quarantine.
Four new domestic infections in Hebei province surrounding the capital have been reported by the National Health Commission, and a case reported in the Sichuan province has been linked to the Beijing cluster.
Authorities raced to track Beijing travelers from other parts of China, encouraging people to get tested on visits to the capital.