Central Chinese Cities Battle COVID-19 Outbreaks

Central Chinese Cities Battle COVID-19 Outbreaks
Medical workers in protective suits collect swabs from residents during a citywide nucleic acid testing following cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Zhengzhou, Henan Orovince, China, on Jan. 5, 2022. (cnsphoto via Reuters)
1/7/2022
Updated:
1/7/2022

More than 10 million residents in Henan’s provincial capital Zhengzhou have been required to do mass COVID-19 testing, while Yuzhou, a city of 1.2 million, has been locked down, making it the second Chinese city to do so after Xi’an.

Confirmed cases have also been reported in 6 major cities in Henan Province. At present, there are 10 high-risk zones in Henan, while local authorities have upgraded control measures and partial lockdowns.

On Jan. 5, all residents in Zhengzhou City were required to take COVID-19 nucleic acid test. According to the Chinese communist regime’s official data, Zhengzhou City has identified three transmission chains: people who play cards games, attend funerals, and families.

Tan Xing (a pseudonym), a resident at a community in Zhengzhou City, told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times on Jan. 5, “Currently we are not allowed to leave the residential community, but there is a grocery next to the community where you can buy vegetables and they deliver them to the community gate.”

Tan said that due to the current cases Zhengzhou’s Zhongyuan and Guancheng districts are under the strict control of the city and all schools have been closed. In addition, all residents were required to take nucleic acid tests, “Last night late at night we got tested in our community.”

The Epoch Times has obtained a video showing roads being blocked in Zhengzhou city and people waiting in long lines in the snow to take COVID-19 tests.

Chen Min (a pseudonym), a resident of Huolong Town in Yuzhou City which is under the jurisdiction of Xuchang City in Henan, said that the entire Yuzhou City was under lockdown. “Our town has been shut down for three days. All residents are not allowed to go out and all the shops are closed. There isn’t anyone or any cars on the street, only the staff on duty.”

A nurse at Yuzhou Central Hospital said that due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the outpatient and emergency departments of the hospital were closed, and only the inpatient department was open. As to when the hospital will open and if there are any confirmed cases, the nurse said “you can ask other hospitals.”

Starting on Jan. 5, in another big city, Luo Yang in Henan Province, which has 6.55 million people, all tourist attractions, internet cafes, KTVs, singing and dancing venues, amusement entertainment venues, libraries, cultural centers, urban study rooms, neighborhood cultural service centers, and other public cultural venues have been temporarily closed.

Since a number of COVID-19 infection cases were reported in Luoyang on Dec. 31, 2021, up to now, there have been infections reported in six areas in Henan Province, including Luoyang, Xuchang, Zhengzhou, Zhoukou, Gushi, and Shangqiu, with a total of 53 cases.

Since the Chinese communist regime has consistently concealed the extent of the pandemic in China, the official COVID-19 data is believed not to reveal the true numbers on the ground.

Gu Qing'er and Hong Ning contributed to the report.