Covid-19 in China: Guangzhou locks down residential areas and bans restaurant dining in one district
- The southern city delayed the start of the school year and cut public transport services in Haizhu district after recording seven cases
- Meanwhile, the nearby city of Shenzhen has imposed similar restrictions in four districts as it battles an outbreak of the Omicron subvariant BA.5
The city’s health authorities reported seven new cases in Haizhu district, six of them with symptoms, on Wednesday. Two were detected through regular community testing, and five were picked up through close contacts screening.
The outbreak was caused by the Omicron subvariant BA. 2.76 but the source remained unknown.
“The cases’ activity sites are complex, involving crowded places such as swimming pools and markets, and there is a high risk of community transmission,” said Zhang Yi, deputy director of the Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission.
In response to the outbreak, the district has banned restaurant dining, suspended services at public buildings, and encouraged employees to work from home. Several bus and subway stations have been shut, while other routes have been altered.
Authorities have also ordered all schools and kindergartens to delay the start of the school year, which usually happens on September 1 – and halt offline classes.
The district is carrying out mass tests on almost 1.6 million people, with the first round taking place on Tuesday and the second on Wednesday.