China asking Chongqing residents to limit movements amid rising COVID cases

In the wake of rising COVID cases and challenges faced in containment, the residents of Chongqing are being asked to limit their movements.

While the residents in 11 central urban districts in Chongqing are being urged not to leave their regions. Also, those from outside are being asked not to come in unless really necessary, reported China Daily citing a news conference by the Deputy Director of the Chongqing Health Commission, Li Pan.

Chongqing had reported 123 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases and 633 asymptomatic carriers in the recent outbreak till Wednesday, the China Daily further cited the commission.

As of Wednesday, Chongqing had reported 123 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases and 633 asymptomatic carriers in the recent outbreak, the commission said.

Also, as of Tuesday, 1,109 confirmed cases had been reported. They were linked to a transmission chain in the Shapingba district starting on November 1. It has touched the city's 29 districts and counties, China Daily reported.

However, the residents are allowed to travel within the central urban city region covering 11 districts, but they are being asked not to travel to other districts and counties outside the region, Chian Daily cited Li.

Now, to trace the hidden source of the latest infection, mass testing will be carried out by the authorities on a daily basis. Also, other districts will be adopting epidemic prevention and control measures.

As per China Daily, Chongqing covers an area of 82,400 square kilometres and has a population of more than 30 million.

China was the centre of the COVID-19 outbreak in the world, the whole suffered millions of deaths in the past 2 years.

Meanwhile, local authorities nationwide are under pressure to ramp up Covid control measures despite mounting public frustration.

This week, videos from China went viral where the Covid workers were seen in hazmat suits and beating the residents. Following an outcry, police in Linyi city, Shandong province said, in a statement, on Tuesday that seven Covid workers had been detained following a clash with residents.

Under China's strict zero covid policy, cities are given powers to act swiftly to quell any outbreaks of the virus. This includes anything from full-scale lockdowns to regular testing and travel restrictions.

Many had hoped President Xi Jinping would drop the strict measures before the end of the year but at the recent 20th Communist Party congress, he made clear this was unlikely to happen anytime soon.

( With inputs from ANI )