Southeastern China Outbreak Worse Than Officially Reported, Locals Say

Residents queue to undergo nucleic acid testing for the novel coronavirus in Xiamen city, in China's eastern Fujian Province, on Sept. 14, 2021. STR/AFP

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on southeastern China. Putian, Xiamen, and Quanzhou are the three hardest-hit cities in Fujian Province. Local residents have been locked inside their homes, the nucleic acid test sites are crowded, and clashes happen often due to understaffing.

According to local official reports, between Sept. 10 and Sept. 20, confirmed cases numbered 195, 183, and 24, for Putian, Xiamen, and Quanzhou, respectively.