Corona in China before the Olympics: Beijing is testing two million residents

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Corona test in China

Photo: Zhao Zishuo / imago images / Xinhua

Less than two weeks before the start of the Winter Olympics, the Chinese authorities have ordered mass corona testing in the Beijing venue.

All two million residents of the Fengtai district of the Chinese capital would be tested for the corona virus because of a focus of infection there, the authorities said on Sunday.

A total of around 30 corona infections were found in Beijing last week.

China is pursuing a rigorous zero-Covid strategy

The mass testing in Fengtai is said to start on Sunday.

According to this, six new infections were recently reported in the district.

China is pursuing a rigorous zero-Covid strategy to fight the pandemic.

With locally limited lockdowns and mass testing, the authorities have so far managed to bring individual corona outbreaks under control.

Last week, Chinese authorities sent around five million residents of the city of Anyang into lockdown after two omicron cases.

People have to be tested and are otherwise not allowed to go outside.

All car traffic was prohibited.

Most shops also had to close.

With similar measures already being taken in the cities of Xi'an and Yuzhou, around 20 million people in China are currently under lockdown.

In the Chinese Hong Kong SAR, the authorities ordered the killing of hundreds of hamsters and other rodents such as rabbits and guinea pigs after the discovery of several hamsters infected with the corona virus in a pet shop.

A total of around 2000 animals are to be culled.

The import of small mammals has been temporarily suspended.

Pet owners who acquired their rodents after December 22 were asked to hand them in at the official collection point.

Before the Winter Olympics starting on February 4, the authorities have tightened the corona protection measures.

Some athletes as well as international delegates and media representatives have already arrived in Beijing.

muk/dpa