PANDORA IS CLOSED

China Seals Off ‘Avatar’ City as Delta Drives Worst Spike in Coronavirus Cases Since Last Year

Zhangjiajie, famous for its surrounding forests and caves, recorded just 19 cases since last week.

The Chinese city that served as the inspiration for Pandora in Avatar has been cut off from the rest of the country after it become a hot spot in China’s worst coronavirus outbreak since early last year. The city of Zhangjiajie, famous for its surrounding forests and caves, recorded just 19 cases since last week—but authorities have taken drastic action. No one is allowed to leave or enter the city, according to the Associated Press, and all residents have been ordered to not leave their homes. The city government’s has also published a list of officials who will be punished after they “had a negative impact” on the control of the virus. Overall, China reported 71 new cases of COVID-19 from local transmission on Wednesday, mostly in Jiangsu province. Although the numbers are relatively small when compared with other countries, it’s the worst outbreak in China since the early months of the pandemic.