China's Harbin in semi-lockdown after local Covid cases emerge again

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Sep 23, 2021 06:00 am

BEIJING : China's north-eastern city of Harbin, population 10 million, went into semi-shutdown after reporting new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases for the first time since early February.

Three of 16 new local cases reported in China for Tuesday were in Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang, the National Health Commission (NHC) said yesterday. The last reported locally transmitted cases in the city were on Feb 4.

Harbin, known for its -30 deg C winters, vowed to complete an initial round of city-wide testing by today, and told its residents to refrain from stepping outside their homes, unless necessary, before their test results are out.

Indoor venues such as cinemas, gyms and mahjong parlours were also shut, and tourist sites were ordered to limit visitor traffic at half of their capacity, state television reported.

The city would also suspend offline classes at all kindergartens, primary schools and high schools for a week, state television said late on Tuesday. - REUTERS