More Beijing residential areas sealed off ahead of Olympics

Officials in Beijing announced on Sunday that they had sealed off residential communities where two COVID-19 cases were found. 

On Saturday, residents in the Anzhenli neighborhood in the capital city’s Chaoyang district were locked down and will go through testing every day until Friday, The Associated Press reported, citing local state media.

Other communities in the Fengtai district remain locked down following millions of tests in the past week, the AP added. 

Beijing’s decision came as the city prepares to host the Winter Olympic Games, which begin on Feb. 4.

Pang Xinghuo, the vice head of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, announced that 12 COVID-19 cases were detected in the city between Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the wire service noted.

While case numbers remain relatively low, China has maintained its “zero-tolerance” policy in its handling of the pandemic.

The International Olympic Committee also announced that over 34 COVID-19 cases had been detected among athletes, with a total of 211 of 8,000 people who arrived for the Games by the end of Saturday testing positive for the virus, according to the AP.

Everyone in Beijing for the games will be isolated from the general public in an effort to contain the virus. Participants will reside in hotels surrounded by temporary walls and will be transported in vehicles that go directly to Olympic venues. Though some spectators will be allowed at the events, the public is mostly barred from the hotels and venues.