Covid-19 in China: Xian cases edge down on New Year’s Day after worst week of 2021
- First drop in new Covid-19 cases for Shaanxi provincial capital after a week of more than 150 reported daily
- Complaints about shortages continue, however, as locked down city of 13 million struggles with China’s worst outbreak in a year
An official from Xian’s Yanliang district said on Sunday that 1,150 tonnes of vegetables have been delivered to about 115,600 households, adding to the 4,100 tonnes of vegetables being delivered to nearly 250,000 families in the urban Xincheng district.
The first time this number dropped below 150 was on Saturday, when 122 such cases were identified, according to National Health Commission figures.
China ended the final week of 2021 with its highest tally of local coronavirus cases for any seven-day period since overcoming the country’s first outbreak nearly two years ago.
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New round of mass testing in Xian, the northwestern city at epicentre of China’s Covid-19 outbreak
Residents, who cannot leave their homes without approval, have complained about food shortages and difficulties ordering necessities such as formula milk, nappies and medicine. Officials have said the supply of necessities had been delayed by a worker shortage.
Fan Zengwen, an official from Yanliang district, said the authorities issued passes for employees at 47 retailers and pharmacies so the establishments could operate normally.
“At the same time, we will coordinate stocks of medical masks, disinfectants, and common drugs and medicine for paediatric and chronic diseases at retail stores and pharmacies,” he said.
At a press conference on Sunday, he urged the media and citizens to continue to monitor the government’s work to curb the coronavirus and provide feedback.
Local officials have been making regular announcements about food deliveries since thousands of residents started complaining on social media about food shortages during the lockdown.
This weekend, Yanliang district said it had distributed new-year gift packs worth 200 yuan (US$31) to each underprivileged family or household under quarantine.
Meanwhile, Su Jiwen, the deputy chief of Xincheng district, promised that 4,100 tonnes of vegetables will be distributed to 248,000 residents “gradually”.
Some media outlets have also carried stories about landlords who had been feeding student or recently graduated tenants during the lockdown.
One landlady, named Wang, told the online outlet Xibu Juece he had been making steamed buns, flatbreads and soup for her 20 tenants, who did not have any cooking facilities in their rooms.
Another landlord, surnamed Ming, went viral on the internet after cooking food for his 81 tenants whom were stranded in their rooms.
“Since quarantine measures were imposed on December 23, these youngsters could only rely on instant noodles and snacks every day,” he told The Beijing News. “After December 27, I tried to make a meal every day for these kids in batches. I didn’t think much of it. I just hope my actions can help them overcome these difficulties.”
While the daily case count for Saturday dropped to 131 after reporting at least 150 cases every day last week, there is little sign yet the outbreak is abating. In Shaanxi, there was one other case apart from the 122 in Xian in Yanan, about 260km (162 miles) north of the provincial capital.
Seven of the remaining cases were found in coastal Zhejiang province, all in the city of Ningbo, and the last one was found in Luoyang, a city in Henan province.
Luoyang was also the source of all four local asymptomatic cases found on New Year’s Day. Of the 108 imported cases reported, 60 were symptomatic.
