Coronavirus Outbreak In Beijing, China Worries Health Officials

Beijing, China is reinstating strict lockdown measures and massive coronavirus testing after a brand new group of cases for Covid-19 appeared in the metropolitan’s vast food market. The government’s main concern is getting a full-on second wave of the virus, as many health care experts have warned that a second wave of the virus in general would likely be much worse than the first wave. 

Initially, Beijing reported 36 new cases of the virus as of Monday June 14th, combined with new cases that appeared last week that’s 79 new infected individuals. The cases are reportedly linked to the Xinfadi market in the southern part of the city. This market is mainly known for carrying fresh fruit and vegetables and has since been shut down. 

China’s government in general has had one of the quickest and most effective methods of containing the spread of this virus, especially when compared to how federal governments abroad have handled the pandemic. Beijing was considered to be one of China’s “safest” cities in regards to the virus after the country effectively stopped the spread of the virus a month ago. Now, the possibility of a second wave has their government scrambling. 

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Citizens, however, are already taking to social media to speak out against the “wartime measures” that the government is implementing in order to prevent a second wave. For example within the Fengtai district of Beijing, where the Xinfadi market is located, officials announced that the launch of a “wartime mechanism” as well as the creation of a command center would be made to curb the spread. 

The Global Times is a tabloid that recently took to Twitter to share a video of a paramilitary police force wearing intense gear and patrolling the market after it was shut down this past weekend. Authorities have also implemented a mandatory lockdown on 11 residential areas that are near the market. The lockdown in those areas is so strict that residents won’t be able to leave their property; all of their food and daily necessities will be delivered right to them. 

Beijing has also set up 193 testing facilities within its city alone and has since tested more than 76,000 residents; 59 tested positive. Fengtai district specifically has also collected test samples from almost 9,000 individuals who were working in the Xinfadi market, so far 6,000 of those samples have been tested as negative for the coronavirus. 

Within the testing they also were able to interview and contact-trace the virus based on each individual’s personal accounts. The Beijing government also released a public statement urging any citizen who visited the market self-quarantine for 14 days. 

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Public school classes were scheduled to resume this week in Beijing, but that has since been cancelled. Life in Beijing was reportedly almost completely back to normal before this week. Multiple businesses, schools, restaurants and malls reopened. This was a testament to China’s intense handling of the virus, as they essentially completely eradicated it before fully reopening. 

“There is no way Beijing becomes Wuhan 2.0. The world will see China’s powerful capacity in controlling the epidemic, including (the) government’s strong leadership, respect to science, public’s willingness to cooperate and nationwide coordination of control measures. We will win again,” Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of Global Times, wrote in a post.

Beyond just the market, Beijing authorities are still trying to trace the direct source of the outbreak. Initially the virus was detected on a chopping board for fish used by a seller of imported salmon at the market, which has led officials to fear that the virus contaminated a lot more citizens than they currently believe. 

Investigations are still underway, but if China’s response to these new cases is anything like their initial response to the pandemic, residents should be okay as long as they continue to listen to national health and safety guidelines.