Coronavirus: China’s Hebei province reports 120 new local cases as millions tested
- All but one of the new infections were found in Shijiazhuang where the country’s biggest outbreak in months has city in lockdown
- In addition there have been two cases reported in Hebei province which originated overseas
All but one of the new infections were recorded in Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital. The remaining case was in the neighbouring city of Xingtai. In addition, two new cases from overseas were reported in Hebei on Wednesday.
With 92 confirmed infections and 149 asymptomatic cases as of Wednesday, the Hebei outbreak marks China’s biggest rise in Covid-19 infections in recent months.
Authorities in Shijiazhuang have launched citywide mass testing for all of its 11 million residents. Gaocheng district, the city’s high-risk area, tested 50,000 of its residents on Sunday. On Tuesday, the local government tested another 60,000 residents nearby.
Gene sequencing results have shown that the coronavirus found in Xingtai is similar to a European strain, according to local authorities.
As of Wednesday, Shijiazhuang had tested more than 2 million people and found 11 confirmed cases through the campaign, Meng Xianghong, deputy mayor of Shijiazhuang, said. Xingtai plans to test all 7 million residents within three days.