DÉJÀ VU

Beijing Starts Sealing Itself Off Again After Virus Flare-Up, Cancels 1,000+ Flights

A shock surge in new COVID-19 cases has closed school and now some 1,255 flights were canceled at two of the city’s airports—roughly 70 percent of those scheduled.

More than 1,000 flights in and out of Beijing were canceled Wednesday, as the Chinese capital restarted the process of locking down in the face of a new flare-up of the novel coronavirus. A post on the People’s Daily Twitter account said that some 1,255 flights were canceled at two of the city’s airports—roughly 70 percent of those scheduled. “The epidemic situation in the capital is extremely severe,” Beijing city spokesman Xu Hejian warned at a Tuesday press conference. “We have to take strict measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.” The city raised its emergency level, meaning residents are now barred from “unessential” travel outside of Beijing. Authorities reported 31 new cases of the virus in the city on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections to 137 over the past week. The resurgence of the virus has shocked leaders and residents after a lull of nearly two months, with schools being closed again on Tuesday.