The city recorded 18 Covid infections Saturday through Monday, all of them from the Omicron BA.5.2 subvariant, according to local disease control officials.
According to the researchers, BA.5.2 is a subset of BA.5, which is already dominant in the US and appears to escape antibody responses both among people previously infected with Covid-19 and those who have been fully vaccinated and potentiated.
It is the first time the subvariant has been reported in China, one of the last places in the world that still follows a strict Covid zero policy.
On Tuesday, Xi’an officials announced radical restrictions that would close parts of the city for seven days from Wednesday.
Entertainment, sports and cultural spaces, including bars, cinemas, gyms, libraries and museums, were closed; the restaurant dining room and large gatherings, from weddings to conferences, were suspended; all places of worship were closed and religious activities were banned, city official Zhang Xuedong told a news conference on Tuesday.
According to Zhang, kindergartens and elementary and high schools were ordered to start summer vacations early, while universities were asked to seal their campuses.
Authorities also closed nine residential neighborhoods classified as “high-risk areas,” banning residents from leaving their communities.
“The seven-day temporary control measures are aimed at calming society as much as possible, reducing mobility … and the risk of cross-infection,” Zhang said.
The announcement caused a stir among some Xi’an residents, many of whom recalled the chaos of the city’s strict confinement for a month between December and January.
During this city-wide confinement, a steady stream of complaints about food shortages, as well as heartbreaking scenes from critically ill patients, including very pregnant women, who were denied medical attention caused commotion and anger. across the country. On Tuesday night, photos and videos were posted. Xi’an residents on social media showed large crowds of travelers, many with large bags and suitcases, outside the train station, running to leave the city. at 6 a.m. Wednesday. They are only allowed to leave their community, enter public places and use public transportation after taking the tests, according to a government warning.
As of Wednesday, Xi’an has reported 29 local infections.
Meanwhile, in Shanghai, authorities on Tuesday ordered mass trials in 12 of its 16 districts, in response to a handful of new infections linked to a karaoke bar.
Although the financial center lifted a month-long blockade on most of its 25 million residents in June, it is still subject to Covid restrictions, from frequent testing to targeted blockades.
The city reported 24 locally transmitted cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday.