The situation in China is once again at its most critical stage in the fight against the Epidemic. A major screening for the new coronavirus has been announced in Zhongnanhai, the seat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and in Xicheng District and parts of Dongcheng District, where many central ministries are located.
Long lines of people waiting for nucleic acid tests lined the streets of the areas concerned on Friday (Jan. 22). Beijing officials said there were some gaps in the outbreak prevention and control efforts, with some areas not strictly adhering to wearing masks, maintaining social distances and taking body temperatures.
The sweep is scheduled to last two days and involve a population of more than 2 million.
An Associated Press report said thousands of people braved the cold to line up on an East Side street corner, with the line spreading for several blocks. Everyone was wearing a mask.
The sweep is a key part of China’s campaign against the epidemic. Many stores, office buildings and residential neighborhoods in Beijing are now requiring entrants to show proof of an up-to-date negative test.
According to Chinese media, the sweep of the Xicheng District was prompted by a confirmed case of a local cluster infection in the Daxing district on the outskirts of Beijing, where a newspaper from a Chinese ministry is located at the Fuxingmen intersection in the Xicheng District, across the street from the Chinese State Administration of Radio and Television and the Central People’s Broadcasting Station, among other institutions.
According to Reuters, the line outside the testing station at Deng Shi Kou Elementary School in Dongcheng District was more than 200 meters long. A man surnamed Lin said he came to be tested after being notified by the supermarket where he works.
The man was quoted by Reuters as saying, “Although the outbreak was a bit of a surprise, I wasn’t too worried. I came here because my workplace told me to come.”
China’s National health Commission reported Friday that there were 103 new confirmed cases, down from 144 the day before, but still above 100.
Of the 103 cases, there were 94 indigenous infections, with Beijing accounting for only three cases, mainly in Heilongjiang province, where there were 47 cases. Shanghai had six cases.
Shanghai discovered two cases of indigenous infection on Thursday for the first Time in two months. All hospital staff in the city began testing for the virus that day.
Nearly all of the indigenous infections and asymptomatic cases in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province, have been linked to a meat processing plant founded by a joint venture between Chinese and Thai companies. Chinese authorities, concerned that the virus could spread rapidly due to the spring rush, have imposed city closures on several northern cities and grounded tens of millions of residents at Home.
The Tianjin municipal government announced Friday that all domestic flights arriving in Tianjin must show a negative test result for the virus and all passengers will be quarantined at home for 14 days.
Hebei province reported Friday that 18 cases of indigenous infection had been detected. Shijiazhuang high-speed railway station is said to be restricted to boarding only. The station, which is always busy during the Chinese New Year, was empty on Friday morning.
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