China introduces lockdown in city of Chengdu over Covid outbreak

Beijing: China has introduced a lockdown in the 21-million city of Chengdu, the capital of southwestern Sichuan province, to conduct PCR testing among residents amid the spike in COVID-19 infections, local authorities said on Thursday.
Several rounds of universal PCR testing will take place in the city between September 1 and 4, with residents asked not to leave their homes from 10:00 GMT Thursday, the authorities said in a statement. The authorities said that only one person in the family may go out daily for groceries, and it is mandatory to have a negative PCR test done within 24 hours, adding that citizens are strictly warned against leaving the city without an urgent necessity.
The authorities also said that only supermarkets, farmers markets, pharmacies, medical facilities, food delivery services, and catering businesses could continue operation in the city.
Persons arriving in Chengdu are also required to pass the necessary anti-epidemiological control at the entrance, and present a certificate of a negative PCR test in order to use public transport in the city, the statement read.
Chinese health authorities reported that 492 new COVID-19 cases were registered in the province from Monday to Wednesday. A total of over 6 million cases of COVID-19 infection have been registered since the beginning of the pandemic in mainland China, with 24,806 related deaths. (UNI/SPUTNIK)