Authorities are on high alert due to a flu outbreak in northern China and have urged a COVID-19-style closure.
A 13 million-person metropolis known for its Terracotta Warriors, Xi’an, may reintroduce lockdowns in an effort to stop the influenza virus from spreading. China may come to regret the lockdowns.
China Flu Outbreak
Officials are on high alert due to the disease, and the northern city of Xi’an has proposed a COVID-19-style closure. The 13 million-person city of Xi’an, known for its Terracotta Warriors, may reintroduce lockdowns in an effort to stop the spread of influenza.
In event of an outbreak, local authorities were given the go-ahead to close schools, places of business, and entertainment venues in Xi’an on Wednesday. In cases where a serious threat exists, the city will shut down specific areas.
An influenza outbreak in China has intensified over the past week as the city of Xi’an in the country’s northwest implemented lockdowns akin to those during a pandemic to stop the rise in infections.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the COVID-19 positivity rate decreased to 3.8% from 5.1% while the flu positivity rate increased to 41.6% this week from 25.1% the previous week.
The city of Xi’an announced that it will take similar steps to stop COVID-19, including closing schools and businesses as part of the response. Almost 13 million people live in Xi’an, which was shut down for a month in 2021 as a result of COVID-19.
According to government figures, the optimism rate has climbed for six weeks in a row.
But, the decision by the authorities to impose lockdowns in order to contain the influence outbreak was criticized.
The Shaanxi province’s well-known tourist attraction implemented an emergency response plan that would allow it to shut down shops, schools, and other congested areas.
China Likely To See Pandemic-Style Lockdowns
In China, cases of the flu are making a lot of people ill. The number of reported cases of influenza topped the list in the most recent weekly pandemic report published by the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention on 22 February, marking the first time this year that the coronavirus has dropped from the top position, according to Global Times.
The simultaneous transmission of two influenzas A virus subtypes, in China since February, is to blame for the spike in influenza illnesses, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
As children were ill and there was a lack of antiviral medication, several schools across China decided to postpone lessons.
The Shanghai government issued a warning in 2015 that it might cancel classes, close offices, and ban public gatherings in the event of a serious influenza pandemic. At that time, the term lockdown was not in use.
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