At a standstill: An aerial view showing an empty thoroughfare following the closure of the area due to an outbreak of Covid-19 in Hainan. — AFP
BEIJING: The capital of Hainan province has locked down its residents for 13 hours as a Covid-19 outbreak grows on the tropical island during the summer school holidays.
The temporary lockdown of Haikou city from 7am to 8pm yesterday follows an ongoing and indefinite lockdown of the beach resort of Sanya since Saturday – which is confining vacationers to their hotels for a week – and lockdowns that started in four other cities in Hainan on Sunday.
More than 470 new cases were recorded in the province on Sunday, of which 245 did not show symptoms.
Overall, China reported more than 760 new daily cases, the National Health Commission said yesterday.
Some 80,000 tourists have reportedly been stranded by the lockdown in Sanya.
Those wanting to depart have to test negative five times over seven days.
China has stuck steadfastly to a “zero-Covid” policy despite the economic and social costs.
It has credited that approach with keeping hospitalisation and death rates lower than in other countries that have opened up amid high vaccination rates and more effective treatments.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong is reducing quarantine for overseas arrivals to three days starting Friday. — AP
