China's Xian city facing trouble providing essential supplies amid worst Covid surge

China’s Xian city, famous for its 'terracotta warriors' is facing trouble providing essential supplies for its 13 million locked down residents amid the worst COVID-19 surge throwing challenges to its Zero-COVID policy. Chinese officials admitted at a press conference on Wednesday that they have faced challenges getting enough supplies to residents in locked-down Xi'an, after the city's inhabitants took to social media to complain they didn't have enough food and call for help. Beijing has followed a strict Zero-COVID strategy involving tight border restrictions and targeted lockdowns. 

Xian officials admitted that low staff attendance and difficulties in logistics and distribution had led to trouble providing essential supplies, adding that they are trying their best. Authorities have also detained at least seven people in the city over attempting to skip quarantine, disrupting order, and spreading rumors, local media said. 

As the city has reported more than 1,100 domestic COVID cases since 9th of December, Chinese officials imposed what they have called the strictest possible curbs in Xi'an. The current outbreak, which is the most serious outbreak this year, comes as Beijing prepares to welcome thousands of overseas visitors to February's Winter Olympics.

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repeated outbreaks this year in different parts of the country threw a spanner in China’s much touted Zero-COVID policy and questioned the stringent restrictions imposed on its citizens and the ensuing uncertainty in social and economic life in the country. Many experts have spoken about the diminishing returns of this approach as fatigue has set in. China has also effectively banned its borders with stringent restrictions for international travelers including students and separated families. China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said on Thursday that 207 new COVID-19 cases, including 156 new locally transmitted ones were reported on Wednesday. 

For the last five days, China has reported around 200 daily new cases. These are in addition to more than 500 asymptomatic cases which China does not consider as confirmed cases. NHC said 2,563 patients are still receiving treatment, of whom 15 were in severe conditions. All these cases are adding to growing concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant. 

Chinese officials reported a case of Omicron on 13th of December in Tianjin city followed by a few more officially reported cases. However, there is not much information about Omicron’s spread in the country amid continuous concerns expressed by officials about it.