Alarm in Beijing as variant cases rise weeks before Winter Olympics

Workers in protective suits set up a metal detector at a check point ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, on January 18 2022. Picture: FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS

Beijing’s first Omicron patient has passed the virus to at least two close contacts, according to the health commission. Separately, a person in a different part of the capital tested preliminary positive for Delta, city spokesperson Xu Hejian said at a briefing on Tuesday. The flare-up has also dulled the outlook for the Olympics that are due to start on February 4 and were seen as an opportunity to showcase China’s economy and governance. Organisers have halted ticket sales to the public and will instead invite select groups of spectators to attend, provided they obey strict precautions.

Authorities have asked all inbound passengers to Beijing to get an additional Covid-19 test within 72 hours of arrival, starting on January 22, after its first Omicron infection was reported on Saturday. They already are required to have a negative test within two days of travelling to the city and a green health code that shows they haven’t been in any high-risk environments.

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