China reports 10,000 new virus cases, capital closes parks

China’s capital Beijing has closed city parks and imposed other restrictions as the country faces a new wave of COVID-19 cases.

Elsewhere, more than 5 million people were under lockdown Friday in the southern manufacturing hub Guangzhou and the western megacity Chongqing.

The country reported 10,729 new cases on Friday, almost all of them testing positive while showing no symptoms.

With the bulk of Beijing’s 21 million people undergoing near daily testing, another 118 new cases were recorded in the sprawling city. Many city schools switched to online classes, hospitals restricted services and some shops and restaurants were shuttered, with their staff taken to quarantine. Videos on social media showed people in some areas protesting or fighting with police and health workers.

The government has said it was reducing the amount of time incoming passengers would be required to undergo quarantine, but it wasn’t immediately clear when and where the rules would take effect and to whom they would apply. The U.S. Embassy this week renewed its advisement for citizens to avoid travel to and within China unless absolutely necessary.

( Source AP)