Flights cancelled, schools closed as China fights new COVID-19 outbreak

In response, local governments have rolled out mass testing and closed scenic spots and tourist sites, schools and entertainment venues in affected areas, and also imposed targeted lockdowns of housing compounds.

Some regions including Lanzhou – a city of some 4 million people in northwestern China – have told residents not to leave unless necessary.

Those who need to leave must present a negative COVID-19 test.

Airports in the affected regions have cancelled hundreds of flights, according to data from aviation tracker VariFlight.

Around 60 per cent of flights to the two main airports in Xi’an and Lanzhou have been cancelled.

In a notice published Monday, Erenhot in Inner Mongolia said travel in and out of the city was banned and residents should not leave their housing compounds.

And on Wednesday, state-owned tabloid Global Times cautioned that the new virus cases in Inner Mongolia were likely to affect coal imports from Mongolia because of supply chain disruptions.

There were 13 new domestic cases reported on Thursday, China’s National Health Commission said.

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