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Beijing shuts religious venues as coronavirus spreads in Hebei Catholic heartland
- Places of worship in the capital closed temporarily to prevent gatherings
- Official Catholic bodies in neighbouring Shijiazhuang deny widespread cases among members
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Authorities have shut down all 155 official religious venues in the Chinese capital after “a number of” coronavirus patients from neighbouring Hebei province reportedly attended religious gatherings.
As of Thursday, about 300 people had been confirmed with the coronavirus in Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital. Most of the cases were from rural areas of the city, while 15 others were reported in the nearby city of Xingtai.
Before the outbreak erupted last weekend, Hebei had not reported a case since June.
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It has not been confirmed whether the outbreak was linked to local religious activities or particular religious groups, but Hebei is known as China’s Catholic heartland, with Catholics attending gatherings in officially sanctioned churches as well as underground venues that range from farmhouses to homes.
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Coronavirus: Hebei province reports 120 new local cases in China’s biggest Covid-19 rise in months
Coronavirus: Hebei province reports 120 new local cases in China’s biggest Covid-19 rise in months
Chinese authorities suspended religious activities across the country last year to contain the pandemic and religious venues have only been reopened to the public in the past few months.
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