China’s capital city, Beijing, was brought to a near halt Friday as government-imposed Covid lockdowns forbade people from leaving their homes for several days.
The residential curfew comes on top of bans on businesses that have forced gyms to close and in-store dining at restaurants.
It’s not clear how many people have been affected, or to what degree the stay-at-home measures were enforced. However, Beijing has a population of 22 million.
Local infections of Covid have surged, despite tightening restrictions. The city of Beijing reported more than 1,800 cases Thursday, bringing the total for the month over 10,000.
Across the country, China reported 31,444 Covid cases on Wednesday, a 314% increase from two weeks earlier.
