HONG KONG – Chinese health officials have stepped up their efforts to stem the resurgence of coronavirus cases, as the country faces its worst outbreak since the pandemic exploded earlier last year.
Cities in northern Hebei, Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces have built temporary quarantine facilities, imposed blockade measures on millions of residents and implemented test runs across the city.
Meanwhile, armies of volunteers dressed in protective gear have spread across the affected areas, disinfecting empty streets and shops, according to state media reports.
On Wednesday, Beijing city health officials said they had discovered the most contagious British strain of the virus in samples from two patients who tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday.
Since the current wave of cases emerged in mid-December, health officials have found about 1,500 symptomatic cases of Covid-19, most of which were local infections. China reports symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, but includes only the first in its official count.