1 million residents in Wuhan, China put into lockdown over 4 asymptomatic COVID-19 cases

The central Chinese city of Wuhan has mandated one of its districts with 1 million residents into a lockdown after four asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 were found.

Local authorities of the Jiangxia district announced a three-day “temporary restriction” starting Wednesday after the COVID cases were detected in Wuhan, which studies point to being the origin of the initial COVID-19 outbreak.

This is the first time the city has imposed a shutdown since January 2020, when the provincial capital held a 76-day lockdown after the virus was first found.

Large gatherings, dining-ins, most public transportation and some entertainment venues will be banned.

When President Xi Jinping visited the city last month, he declared that the country would sacrifice some of its economic development to remain COVID zero.

Lockdowns and stringent restrictions have remained in place in China, which has continually maintained its zero-COVID strategy. In February, Hong Kong mandated all of its 7.5 million residents to be triple tested for the virus, and in March, 26 million Shanghai residents were put in a two-stage lockdown amid a surge.

Out of a population of 1.5 billion, China reported just 553 new infections on Tuesday, with the majority coming from the less developed regions of Gansu and Guangxi.

Featured Image via CGTN

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