Beijing lifted several lockdowns imposed to control a fresh coronavirus
outbreak and reported just three new cases in the city on Wednesday,
raising hopes that the cluster had been brought under control.
The Chinese capital had closed off dozens of residential compounds and
carried out mass testing last month after hundreds of infections raised
fears of a virus resurgence.
But five residential communities that have had no new virus cases during
a control period were released from lockdown on Tuesday, state media
reported, as the city relaxed curbs.
Seven other Beijing communities saw their lockdowns lifted last Friday.
The vast majority of cases have been linked to the sprawling Xinfadi
market that supplies about 80 percent of Beijing’s fresh produce and
meat, sparking concern about food safety.
State media outlet China News reported that the lockdown of five
communities in the hard-hit Fengtai district was lifted, and disease
control experts would propose a plan for removing restrictions on
another seven in the area surrounding the market.
But the report said even the communities freed from lockdown would have
to “strictly implement closed management”, with non-residents unable to
enter the compounds.
Communities will also issue entry passes for residents.
China had largely brought the deadly outbreak under control before the new Beijing cluster was detected.
The government has since imposed a strict lockdown on nearly half a
million people in neighbouring Hebei province to contain a fresh cluster
there, adopting the same strict measures imposed at the height of the
pandemic in the epicentre of Wuhan city earlier this year.
However, Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiology expert at the Chinese Center for
Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters in June that the new
outbreak had been “brought under control”.
