Beijing shuts down most metro stations, buses

A cleaner at a closed subway station in the central business district in Beijing on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

China's capital Beijing on Wednesday shut down several metro stations besides schools, restaurants and businesses and ordered daily COVID-19 testing of its 21 million people as it ramped up measures to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant which has brought the financial hub Shanghai to halt for over a month.

Beijing reported 53 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total to over 500 cases as the capital continues enforcing strict anti-virus measures and postponed school reopening for a week as a precautionary measure.

The capital city on Wednesday closed over 40 subway stations, about 10 per cent of the total, and 158 bus routes. Most of the suspended stations and services are in the Chaoyang district, the prominent area in the city housing the top leaders as well as diplomatic enclaves.

All kindergartens, primary and middle schools and secondary vocational schools in Beijing have postponed resuming classes for a week until May 11, official media reported. When students will return to schools would be based on the COVID-19 situation, Beijing authorities said.

3,41,199 No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours
51,19,65,711 Total no. of cases worldwide
62,40,619 Total no. of deaths worldwide

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