Bermuda Post

Thursday, Mar 23, 2023

Beijing locks down office building with workers still inside over single Omicron case

Beijing locks down office building with workers still inside over single Omicron case

At an office building in China's capital on Sunday, masked Covid control personnel lugged boxes of pillows and bedding through the closely guarded entrance for white collar workers stuck inside, preparing for what may be days of lockdown as Beijing rushes to prevent the spread of Omicron ahead of the Winter Olympics.

The snap lockdown meant the building in the west of the city was sealed off without advance warning, with everybody inside unable to leave and subject to compulsory Covid testing. The decision to lock the office down came after an employee tested positive for Omicron on Saturday -- the city's first recorded case of the highly transmissible variant.

For the past week, officials in Beijing had been on high alert as an Omicron outbreak spread in Tianjin, a major port city just 30 minutes away by high-speed rail. The cluster had already spread to two other cities hundreds of miles away.

According to detailed surveillance data collected by officials, the Beijing woman infected with Omicron had not come into contact with a confirmed case and hadn't left the capital in the past 14 days, raising fears the variant may already be spreading in the community.

Unlike most of the world, China is pursuing a zero-Covid strategy that relies on stringent restrictions including mass testing, lockdowns and long quarantine for international arrivals.

The single case in Beijing has been identified at the worst possible time for the city, as it prepares to welcome thousands of athletes for the Olympics -- including from countries where Omicron is raging.

The risk of the variant spreading among the local Beijing population outside its so-called Olympic bubble -- intended to keep participants separate from the wider public -- comes as authorities warned of the "double pressure of domestic and imported cases."

After the woman's case was confirmed, authorities sprang into action, imposing uncompromising snap lockdowns -- trapping people in places such as office blocks -- and extensive contact tracing and testing in high-risk areas.

The residential compound where the confirmed case lives is just 15 minutes' drive from Olympic Park. The entire community has since been sealed off while people get tested and authorities conduct environmental sampling. CNN staff who drove past the complex over the weekend saw large barriers in place to prevent anybody from coming or going.

The residents inside are allowed fresh air, in contrast to stricter lockdowns in other parts of the country that confine people to their apartments -- but they can't leave the community limits. Trash is beginning to pile up inside the complex, with only specially-designated disposal teams permitted to handle it. Many nearby businesses are closed.

The woman's workplace has been similarly locked down, with large tents set up outside to conduct and process Covid tests for everybody inside until the building is declared safe to reopen.

In another sign of the zealous official response, the woman's travel history was published in state media, with extensive detail on everywhere she went within a two-week period. The long list includes subway stations, public bathrooms, a supermarket, a luxury shopping center and Dior store, a famous Peking duck restaurant, a cinema, a hair salon, a stand-up comedy venue, and even a ski park.

More than 16,000 people linked to those locations have been tested with all results coming back negative so far, authorities said on Monday -- and the city has yet to report any further cases. At a news conference, authorities raised the possibility the woman might have contracted the virus after handling international mail.

Chinese officials have repeatedly blamed imported goods for causing local outbreaks. However, the risk of surface transmission of Covid-19 is low in comparison to airborne transmission, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus dies "rapidly" on porous surfaces but can persist longer on hard, indoor surfaces, the CDC said last year.

A shopping mall in Beijing is closed on January 16 after news that the city has detected its first Omicron case.


After news of the single Beijing case emerged, many schools in affected districts moved students to online learning this week, and the city has closed a number of scenic spots and temples. Starting January 22, all arrivals to the capital must undergo Covid testing both in advance and after arrival.

And despite the imminent arrival of thousands of Winter Olympians for the start of the Games on February 4, Beijing has moved to suspend dozens of international flights. From Wednesday, all flights from the United States to China have been either canceled or are likely to be suspended.

Athletes and staff are mostly taking special flights restricted to people with Olympic credentials as part of the "closed loop" bubble, which covers all stadiums, competition venues, accommodation and catering, and has its own transport system.

Wang Guangfa, a respiratory expert at Peking University First Hospital, said the situation was still difficult to gauge since authorities don't know where the woman was infected. "It is very possible that new cases will emerge if the cause is unclear," he said, according to state-run tabloid Global Times.

Though any additional infections could spark more restrictions in the coming days, there is no need to overreact to a single case, which wouldn't impact the Olympics, Wang added.

The Beijing public seemed to share his sentiments, with crowds turning out for winter festivities over the weekend in sharp contrast to the localized lockdowns in some districts. On Sunday, many families flocked to a popular lake to ice skate on its frozen waters.

In addition to Beijing, a growing list of cities across China are also struggling to tamp down Covid outbreaks and the Omicron threat. The variant was first detected in the community in Tianjin on January 8 and has since been found in seven other cities, including Beijing.

Many cities are now imposing restrictions such as shutting down public spaces and banning dine-in services at restaurants, as well as suspending air travel to the capital.

Posts and videos on Chinese social media show several targeted snap lockdowns in Shanghai last week, trapping whoever was unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity. In one mall, shoppers were stuck for two days, with officials testing everybody inside and ordering a deep clean before reopening.

One video posted on social media showed a woman outside the mall, crying and reaching out to a small toddler staring back from behind its glass doors.

The measures may seem extreme -- but they remain broadly popular among much of the Chinese public, the vast majority of whom are able to enjoy life as normal.

And with such high stakes, authorities aren't taking any chances, knowing all eyes are focused on Beijing as the Games approach.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Bermuda Post
Close
0:00
0:00
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman tours potential migrant housing in Rwanda as asylum deal remains mired in legal challenges
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
'Sexual Fantasy' Assignment At US School Outrages Parents
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
Jeremy Hunt insists his Budget will get young parents and over-50s back into work
If this was in Tehran, Moscow or Hong Kong
Nashville police officer, and a female driver shooting one another
TRUMP: "Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III."
Mexican President Claims Mexico is Safer than the U.S.
A brief banking situation report
Lady bites police officer and gets instantly reaction
We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera.
Donald Trump's asked by Tucker Carlson question on if the U.S. should support regime change in Russia?.
'No relation to the American SVB': India's SVC Bank acts to calm depositors amid brand name confusion.
Good news: The U.S. government is now guaranteeing all deposits, held by, Silicon Valley Bank, and the funds are available as of today
Silicon Valley Bank exec was Lehman Brothers CFO
In a potential last-ditch effort, HSBC is considering a rescue deal to save Silicon Valley Bank UK from insolvency
BBC Director General, Tim Davie, has apologized, but not resigned, yet, following the disruption of sports programmes over the weekend
Elon Musk Is Planning To Build A Town In Texas For His Employees
The Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse effect is spreading around the world, affecting startup companies across the globe
City officials in Berlin announced on Thursday that all swimmers at public pools will soon be allowed to swim topless
Fitness scam
Market Chaos as USDC Loses Peg to USD after $3.3 Billion Reserves Held by Silicon Valley Bank Closed.
A primitive judge in Australia sparked outrage when he told a breastfeeding woman to leave his courtroom for being “a distraction"
Barcelona is feeling the heat as they face corruption charges over payments to former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira
Senator Tom Cotton: If the Mexican Government Won’t Stop Cartels from Killing Americans, Then U.S. Government Should
Banking regulators close SVB, the largest bank failure since the financial crisis
The unelected UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, an immigrant himself, defends new controversial crackdown on illegal migration
Old clip of Bill Gates saying Ukraine is a big, fat, corrupt sinkhole is going viral
Man’s penis amputated by mistake after he’s wrongly diagnosed with a tumour
In a major snub to Downing Street's Silicon Valley dreams, UK chip giant Arm has dealt a serious blow to the government's economic strategy by opting for a US listing
How do stolen goods end up on Amazon, eBay and Facebook Marketplace?
It's the question on everyone's lips: could a four-day workweek be the future of employment?
Is Gold the Ultimate Safe Haven Asset in Times of Uncertainty?
Spain officials quit over trains that were too wide for tunnels...
Don Lemon, a CNN anchor, has provided a list of five areas that he believes the black community needs to address.
Hello. Here is our news digest from London.
Corruption and Influence Buying Uncovered in International Mainstream Media: Investigation Reveals Growing Disinformation Mercenaries
Givenchy Store in New York Robbed of $50,000 in Merchandise
European MP Clare Daly condemns US attack on Nord Stream
Former U.S. President Carter will spend his remaining time at home and receive hospice care instead of medication
Tucker Carlson called Trump a 'demonic force'
US Joins 15 NATO Nations in Largest Space Data Collection Initiative in History
White House: No ETs over the United States
U.S. Jet Shoots Down Flying Object Over Canada
Being a Tiktoker might be expensive…
×