Chinese Newborn Confirmed COVID-19 Positive at 38 Days Old... Travel Restrictions During Chunjol Holiday

Despite Full Lockdown in Xi'an, Over 100 Daily Cases Persist, Confusing Chinese Authorities
Chinese Authorities Advise Travel Restraint Ahead of Winter Olympics

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] The COVID-19 cluster outbreak in China is becoming serious, with a 38-day-old newborn infected in Xi'an, Shanxi Province. As of the 26th, there were 200 confirmed COVID-19 cases in China. Among them, 162 were local infections, with 150 cases reported in Xi'an. This situation is inevitably embarrassing for Chinese authorities, with the '2022 Beijing Winter Olympics' opening (February 4, 2022) just over a month away. Since the Lunar New Year holiday (February 1) next year coincides with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, it is expected that China's quarantine measures will be further strengthened.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Chinese media including the official Xinhua News Agency on the 29th, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a notice urging people to refrain from overseas travel during the Lunar New Year holiday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the Omicron variant is spreading worldwide, and there is a risk of infection when traveling abroad, so people should refrain from overseas travel during the New Year and Lunar New Year holidays. This is the first time this year that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially urged Chinese citizens to avoid overseas travel. Although the notice is general in nature, there is a high possibility of separate measures such as flight reductions or operational restrictions.

Beijing city authorities also recommended on the same day that people should not leave Beijing during the New Year and Lunar New Year holidays, as the Winter Olympics are about to begin. They also stated that during the holiday period, when dining or meeting with people visiting Beijing from other regions, quarantine procedures must be followed.

The Chinese authorities' recommendation is effectively interpreted as a travel ban during the holiday period. Accordingly, flights and trains bound for Beijing are expected to be restricted, and quarantine procedures at highway toll gates are likely to be further strengthened.

Chinese media also express concern as more than 100 confirmed cases continue to emerge daily in Xi'an, where the entire city is locked down. The Global Times reported that the youngest patient in Yanta District, Xi'an, is a 38-day-old newborn, and the oldest infected person is 85 years old, indicating that the entire city of Xi'an remains exposed to risk.

However, it emphasized that the COVID-19 resurgence originating from Xi'an is unlikely to have much impact on the Winter Olympics.

Lu Hongzhou, director of Shenzhen Third People's Hospital and member of the National Disease Control and Prevention Committee, said, "We are preparing quarantine policies keeping all possibilities open for the Winter Olympics," adding, "Since athletes and other Olympic-related personnel cannot have contact with the outside, the possibility of COVID-19 occurring during the Olympics is very low."

Wang Guangfa, chief of Peking University First Hospital, said, "When overseas Winter Olympics teams arrive, the Chinese quarantine system may be overloaded, but China already has experience successfully suppressing local outbreaks last year," expressing confidence in quarantine measures during the Winter Olympics.

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