Beijing Orders Additional Mass Testing as Covid Cases Rise

Beijing has extended orders for workers and students to stay inside and work from home and ordered an additional mass test on Monday as the number of cases of COVID-19 surged again in the city.

Many residential areas in the Chinese capital have restricted access, but the conditions are far less stringent than in Shanghai, where millions of citizens have been placed under various degrees of lockdown over the past two months. Cases reported in Beijing rose to 99 from a previous daily average of around 50.

Overall, China reported 802 new cases on Monday, but only small local outbreaks steadily declined. Nevertheless, the government is implementing rigorous quarantine, lockdowns, and testing measures as part of the Zero COVID approach, even if the outside world is open.