China’s spreading COVID-19 outbreak stokes fear of a Beijing lockdown
China’s Spreading COVID-19 Outbreak Stokes Fear of a Beijing LockdownByhina’s coronavirus outbreak worsened as rising cases in Beijing sparked jitters about an unprecedented lockdown of the capital, with policy makers racing to avert a Shanghai-style crisis that’s already wrought havoc on the financial hub.
The city of more than 20 million people and the country’s political center has sealed off dozens of residential compounds and told inhabitants of the eastern district of Chaoyang to be tested three times this week after dozens of infections were found over the weekend.
Beijing has already locked down some residential compounds around the Chaoyang district — home to some 3.5 million people, including many expats, the central business district and most foreign embassies. It has designated 14 smaller communities as “sealed” and another 14 as “controlled” areas with different levels of movement restrictions.
Residents in the capital are worried about a repeat of the crisis that’s snarled Shanghai for almost a month and seen people unable to reliably accessor medical care. Beijing authorities are beefing up supplies, delivering fresh vegetables to parts of Chaoyang that have reported positive cases. Meituan and other grocery delivery apps have also increased manpower by as much as 70% to help sort mounting orders and race to deliver them to people’s doorsteps on the same day, local media reported.