Multiple COVID-19 Cases Confirmed in Changping District, Beijing, China (Comprehensive)

9 Confirmed Cases in Changping District as of Midnight on the 3rd... All Are Family Members or Close Contacts of Existing Cases
Beijing on High Alert for Epidemic Prevention Ahead of the 19th Central Committee's 6th Plenary Session

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] A large number of COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Changping District, Beijing, the capital of China, putting Beijing's epidemic prevention efforts on high alert.

As the 6th Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (6th Plenum) approaches, COVID-19 cases have been continuously confirmed in the capital Beijing, causing Chinese epidemic prevention authorities to be on high alert. This 6th Plenum is a meeting to summarize the achievements and historical experiences of the 100 years of the Communist Party of China and to establish the legitimacy of President Xi Jinping's re-election.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Chinese media such as Pengpai on the 3rd, as of midnight the previous day, 9 new confirmed cases were identified in Changping District, Beijing. Changping District is pointed out as the support area for the resurgence of COVID-19 in Beijing.

Most of the newly confirmed cases are known to be family members and close contacts of existing confirmed cases. Among the confirmed cases, one person was notified as an asymptomatic carrier on the 28th of last month but developed symptoms such as fever on the 2nd and was finally confirmed positive. It is reported that there are no imported cases among the new confirmed cases in Beijing.

Pengpai quoted Beijing epidemic prevention officials saying that the epidemic prevention situation in Beijing is severe and complex, and advised refraining from visiting places where many people gather, such as shopping malls, supermarkets, hotels, theaters, buses, subways, and airports as much as possible. They also urged people to avoid leaving Beijing and to refrain from unnecessary gatherings.

As of midnight on the 3rd, the total number of new COVID-19 confirmed cases in 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China was 109, of which 93 were local cases.

The resurgence of COVID-19 in China, which began in mid-last month, has spread to 14 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, with the current cumulative confirmed cases reaching 800.

With the continuous confirmation of COVID-19 cases in Beijing, citizens of Beijing are greatly alarmed. Until now, Beijing has been regarded as a 'zero COVID' city with almost no infections.

Beijing health authorities also show clear signs of being unsettled. When a teacher at an elementary school in Chaoyang District, Beijing, was confirmed positive on the 1st, the school’s teachers and close contact students were quarantined early on the 2nd. Moving elementary school children to a separate facility for quarantine instead of home quarantine indicates how tense the Chinese epidemic prevention authorities are.

Additionally, 16 schools in some areas of Chaoyang District have temporarily closed, and nucleic acid testing will be conducted for all school staff and students in the area. The planned influenza vaccinations for students have also been temporarily postponed.

Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province adjacent to Beijing, declared a state of emergency the previous day and completely locked down two areas including Jinzhou. So far, 12 confirmed cases have been reported in Shijiazhuang. Hebei Province surrounds Beijing.

A source in Beijing said, "Chinese authorities, judging that the 6th Plenum, the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the fourth-quarter economy could be adversely affected, are strengthening epidemic prevention," adding that the epidemic prevention atmosphere in Beijing has been very severe since November.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.