Jilin Province expands lockdown in its second-largest city after COVID-19 outbreak
Authorities in China’s northeastern Jilin Province are taking extreme measures to lock down the region’s second-largest city, also named Jilin, after 21 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases have been reported there.
Initially, as we noted on Monday, the city of Shulan — which is technically a suburb of Jilin City — was the focus of lockdowns as it became the only “high-risk” city or region in China. Now the entire city is closing schools, banning gatherings, and blocking off transportation, per the South China Morning Post.
Hong Kong has also confirmed two new local infections after 23 consecutive days with only imported cases, reports the Hong Kong Free Press.
China is ramping up testing in response to this and other COVID-19 flare-ups. Reuters reports that “Major Chinese cities and provinces have published lists of hundreds of hospitals and clinics now authorised to perform tests and are expanding laboratory capabilities to allow people to obtain their nucleic acid test results in a few hours.” Local governments are also adding the tests to low-end health insurance plans, “helping to cover costs which range from 60 yuan ($8.50) to 270 yuan ($38).”
