Beijing on high alert as Covid surge, China starts nucleic acid tests

China's capital Beijing has gone on high alert as the situation turned “grim” following the emergence of clusters of COVID-19, while the epicenter is still the country's financial hub Shanghai which reported 39 more deaths due to the virus, the highest in a day so far during the current outbreak since last month. Beijing city announced 21 new community cases on Sunday and Chaoyang district which constitutes the heart of the city and houses all the foreign missions, has asked all residents including diplomats to get tested for three alternate days starting on Monday. This has caused anxiety among the residents with reports of a huge surge in online shopping for stockpiling of essential provisions and green vegetables running out of supply. Many online platforms said they have started emergency response for supply.The city government already recommended that people minimize non-essential visits to places with crowds. The city went on high alert after a local middle school showed 12 students testing positive for COVID-19 since Friday as it suspended classes. 

Following the emergence of new clusters, Beijing has taken strict measures, including organising nucleic acid tests in key groups, and taking partial closed-off management and suspending classes in the areas and a school that spotted the cases, Global Times reported. Health officials in Beijing said undetected local transmissions started in the city about a week ago, and involved schools, tour groups and families. Officials at the Sunday press conference said this wave has the characteristics of hidden spread, unknown sources and rapid development. The officials said the risk of further hidden transmission is high. The situation is urgent and grim. The Chinese mainland on Sunday logged nearly 22000 cases, including 1,566 positive cases and the rest asymptomatic cases mostly in Shanghai, according to China’s National Health Commission.