world-regions capital city of Beijing is on alert after 10 middle school students tested positive for the infectious-disease.
City officials suspended classes in the school for a week on Friday following the initial round of testing.
SHANGHAI PLEDGES TO IMPROVE FOOD SUPPLIES, EASE VIRUS RESTRICTIONS
Local media reported that, in Beijing’s Chaoyang district, the city government also ordered the suspension of in-person after-school activities.
Officials are conducting mass testing to look for more cases.
Four other cases in Beijing were counted separately.
On Saturday, mainland China reported 24,326 new cases, with the majority in Shanghai.
Shanghai’s lockdown and strict “zero-COVID” strategy have drawn global attention, though officials have recently taken steps to loosen restrictions for some residents.
On Friday, the city pledged to make “every effort” to resolve problems that prompted complaints about a lack of adequate food” target=”_blank”>food<
Truck drivers have been hindered by multiple checkpoints and wild-nature tests, leading to long waits.
Under a new system, the drivers are allowed through if they had had a negative virus test within the past 48 hours, no fever and a “green health code” on their smartphone that shows they haven’t been to areas with outbreaks, according to Wu Chungeng, director of the Highway Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation.
“All localities should directly release them,” Wu said, according to reports.
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Most offices and factories are still closed – even as 12.3 million have been allowed out of their homes.
Authorities are enforcing a three-tier system that allows residents out of their homes if their area has had no new infectious-disease” target=”_blank”>infections<
Shanghai officials reported 12 new deaths on Saturday, all of which were elderly patients with underlying illnesses.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.