BEIJING, Sept 24 (Reuters) – China is tightening anti-COVID measures ahead of a week-long holiday, ordering increased city-wide testing and suspending some tourist attractions, as the country faces rising cases of the Omicron BA.5.2 and BF.7 subvariants.
The country reported 1,031 domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases on Saturday, the highest daily tally since Aug. 14, according to the National Health Commission (NHC). Of these, 344 were in Sichuan province, where an outbreak at a local university has prompted the lockdown of Chengdu, its provincial capital with a population of over 21 million.
The Golden Week holiday, which runs from Oct. 1 to 7, is one of the busiest travel periods in China and a crucial time for consumer spending. But with the recent rise in cases, authorities are moving to contain the virus and prevent it from spreading further during the holiday.
In Beijing, the capital city, authorities have ordered three rounds of city-wide testing for its 21 million residents. Similar measures have been implemented in Shanghai, where residents are required to present a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours to enter public venues.
Some tourist attractions, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, have been temporarily closed to prevent overcrowding. Visitors to other tourist sites are required to provide proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test result.
The Chinese government has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19, implementing strict measures such as lockdowns, mass testing, and travel restrictions to contain outbreaks. However, the highly transmissible nature of the Omicron subvariants has made it challenging to maintain zero COVID, and the recent increase in cases has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the country’s current strategy.
The tightening of COVID-19 rules ahead of the Golden Week holiday indicates that the Chinese government is prioritizing public health and safety over economic considerations. The success of these measures in containing the virus will be closely watched by other countries facing similar challenges in balancing public health and economic recovery.
Additional reporting by Brenda Goh in Shanghai and the Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Gerry Doyle and Muralikumar Anantharaman.
