About
80,000 tourists have
been stranded in the seaside resort of Sanya, the capital of the southern Chinese island of
Hainan
, after local authorities detected a
Covid-19
outbreak
and
imposed a
lockdown
.
The restrictions went into effect this morning in efforts to stem the spread of the virus due to the 229 cases confirmed on Friday and another 129 today.
The Communist Party has embraced the approach of 'zero tolerance' to Covid, increasingly in contrast with the rest of the world.
A recent outbreak in Shanghai led to a total lockdown in April and May for its approximately 26 million residents, dealing a severe blow to the national economy.
Railway authorities have banned ticket sales in Sanya, while all flights have been canceled.
Tourists who want to leave must test negative for the coronavirus in five tests in seven days, authorities have clarified.
In order to mitigate the protests, the hotels will offer a 50% discount during the quarantine period, local media reported.
