Beijing in race to detect Covid cases

Millions of people in the Chinese capital took their second Covid-19 tests of the week yesterday as the city tried to keep an outbreak numbering in the dozens from spiralling into a crisis like the one locked-down Shanghai is enduring.

Evidence that Shanghai’s month-long isolation has become almost unbearable for many of the city’s 25 million people is emerging on an almost daily basis on the country’s heavily censored internet.

A widely circulated video – since taken down – showed a foreigner trying to break through metal barriers onto a Shanghai street, before being pulled back and dragged to the ground by four people in protective hazmat suits.

“I want to die,” the man shouted repeatedly in Chinese and English.

One of the people holding him down responded: “You came to China, you need to respect the laws and regulations here.”

“Calm down, calm down,” said another.

Such distressing scenes are being watched with apprehension in Beijing, where officials hope early mass testing will spare them the anguish of Shanghai, where officials waited for a month as cases surged before ordering city-wide screening.

In Beijing, supermarkets have kept supplies well stocked under orders from authorities.

Shi Wei, 53, a retiree, said he was encouraged by the capital’s low caseload but still nervous.

“These past two days every time I go to the supermarket there are lots of people, so I just turn around and leave, as I feel slightly unsafe.

“I can understand the panic, given what happened in Shanghai.”

Geng, 31, who works in finance and only gave his surname, said he worried about being a close contact of a Covid case and being forced into quarantine with his whole family.

Beijing was testing the more than 3.5 million residents of its Chaoyang district yesterday, all of whom were screened on Monday.

On Tuesday, 16 million from other districts were tested and are due for another round today.

In total, 20 million of Beijing’s 22 million will be tested three times this week.

Results for almost all samples from the first round came through yesterday afternoon, with 12 tubes of mixed samples showing positive, a Beijing health official said.

Some 46 new cases have been identified since 4pm on Tuesday, a second Beijing official said. – Reuters