After finding 127 cases of Covid, China locks down 13 million people in Xi’an.

Authorities in the Chinese city of Xi’an have put up to 13 million people on lockdown as they try to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the community after 127 infections were discovered in a second round of mass testing.

The emergency lockdown began on Thursday, just over a month before Beijing hosts the Winter Olympics.

All Xi’an inhabitants are prohibited from leaving their homes unless to purchase basic supplies every other day or in an emergency, and travel to and from the city is prohibited except in rare circumstances requiring government approval. In addition, all non-essential enterprises have been shut down.

According to the state news agency Xinhua, authorities issued an order late Wednesday. Sun Chunlan, the vice-premier, has traveled to the region to monitor the lockdown’s execution.

As of Wednesday, the infection had spread to 14 districts in Xi’an, home to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors. After an initial case was discovered at a nearby university, community illnesses in Shaanxi’s capital spread. On Thursday, health officials launched the third round of mass testing. The type of infection in Xi’an has not been revealed by state media.

The restrictions are among the toughest in China since 11 million people were evacuated from Wuhan in early 2020, when the Covid-19 virus was discovered.

On Thursday, China recorded 71 local cases, 63 of which were in Xi’an.

Family members have been separated without warning due to the lockdown. Some social media users shared their fears and concerns for family members who were trapped in the restricted area.

“I haven’t been worried about the pandemic in a long time,” one Weibo user commented, “but this time is different because my child is still in Xi’an.”

According to the Associated Press, the unexpected revelation sparked panic buying in the city ahead of the city’s closure at midnight on Thursday. The length of the lockdown was not specified in the notification on Wednesday.

According to official media sources, cases related to Xi’an have been found in five other provinces, including Beijing to the north and Guangdong to the south, raising worries of a statewide outbreak.

China, which is steadfastly pursuing a “zero-Covid” policy to the virus, has enacted some of the most stringent measures in the world to combat the virus, including rigorous travel restrictions, mandatory mass testing, and forced quarantine for close contacts. Under response to new outbreaks, it has placed tens of thousands of individuals in forced isolation in recent months.

China has documented cases of the Omicron variety in at least three provinces, and the shutdown comes only weeks before the Beijing Winter Olympics begin on February 4th.

China stepped up quarantine and port city controls on Monday, with state media reporting that authorities are “certain” the spread of Omicron will be contained.

Other regions, notably Zhejiang, China’s key port center, have seen an increase in illnesses in recent weeks.

… we have a tiny request. Every day, millions of people come to the Guardian for open, independent, and high-quality news, and we now have readers in 180 countries.

We think that everyone has a right to knowledge based on science and truth, as well as analysis based on authority and honesty. That’s why we took a different approach: we made the decision to make our reporting accessible to all readers, regardless of where they reside or how much they can afford to pay. More people will be better informed, united, and inspired to take meaningful action as a result of this.

A truth-seeking global news organization like the Guardian is critical in these frightening times. Because we don’t have any shareholders or a rich owner, our journalism is free of commercial and political influence, which sets us apart. Our independence empowers us to investigate, challenge, and expose people in power at a time when it has never been more critical.