Beijing fights its largest epidemic situation since 2020

Beijing is facing an even more severe epidemic control situation as the number of new COVID-19 cases in the city is still rising rapidly to a new record high since the pandemic began in 2020, senior official of the capital said on Sunday.

"We have seen an increase of infections reported in the community level without any decreasing trend," Xu Hejian, spokesman for the municipal government, said at a news conference on Sunday.

"The epidemic has been affecting more subdistricts and villages in Beijing". The capital recorded 4,307 new local COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 3,560 of them asymptomatic carriers, a record high. Of the total, 806 were detected at the community level.

Between midnight and 3pm on Sunday, Beijing reported 1,781 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections, including 1,411 asymptomatic carriers. Among them, 1,548 were found among those under quarantine and 233 were detected at the community level.

"We will dynamically optimize and adjust the epidemic control measures to cope with the situation," said Liu Xiaofeng, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control. "Meanwhile, the government will continue to make the prevention and control work more scientific, precise and effective to contain the spread of the epidemic as soon as possible, as well as minimize the impact on people's normal work and life order".

Wang Daguang, head of the community prevention and control office under the city's epidemic control authority, said the scope of high-risk areas can be expanded moderately when transmission chains are unclear or there exists a widespread risk in communities.

"However, it is strictly forbidden to block or seal off safety exits of residential units and communities, or block access for fire brigade vehicles," he added. According to Wang, while adopting temporary control management, the authority should issue an official announcement to the public and provide necessary services. "The temporary control period should not exceed 24 hours in principle," he said.

Chaoyang district, the hardest-hit area in the capital, reported 468 cases between midnight and 3pm on Sunday.

"We will continue to optimize the nucleic acid testing process to cut the transmission chain and control the spread of the virus in the shortest time," Yang Beibei, deputy head of Chaoyang district, said at the conference. "Furthermore, we are striving to ensure residents' normal life, including adequate market supply and medical service for various needs".

She also urged residents to avoid unnecessary gatherings and keep a safe distance outside to reduce the risk of infection.