Tianjin [China]: Authorities at North China’s Tianjin, a municipality that neighbours Beijing, have started a citywide nucleic acid testing after 20 people were tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, reported Xinhua. The positive coronavirus cases were reported from 6 pm Friday to 9 pm Saturday in Jinnan District, said Xinhua. With the gene sequencing, the first two locally-confirmed cases were found to be infected with the Omicron variant, said the municipal centre for disease control and prevention. The citywide nucleic acid testing began at 7 am on Sunday and is expected to be completed in 24 hours in four districts. In the 12 other districts the tests will begin from 7 am Monday, and residents will not be given a green health code until receiving the negative testing result, according to the centre. It came as Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, is facing strict lockdown from December 23 due to the rising COVID-19 cases. Officials on Saturday said that Xi’an reported 46 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Friday. The city has registered 1,959 local cases since December 9, 2021, amid the latest resurgence.
