Tianjin Municipality has announced it will postpone its two sessions due to the latest wave of the epidemic involving the Omicron variant.
As of 2pm on Wednesday, 137 residents in Tianjin had tested positive for COVID-19, including 76 local confirmed cases and 17 asymptomatic cases, while another 44 positive cases required further verification, the authorities said at Wednesday's press briefing.
The epidemic spread during the New Year holiday among communities, according to the press conference. The outbreak involved several daycare classes that were open during the holiday, where the children were exposed to the virus, and then they passed it to other students and family members when the school started on January 4.
It's important to screen out residents who have been infected by the virus but haven't transmitted it to others, which is also the reason why the city needs to conduct a second round city-wide nucleic acid tests.
From January 12, universities, middle Schools, primary schools started winter Holiday.
The city on Wednesday took stricter measures in three regions -- the Jinnan, Hexi and Xiqing districts. All entertainment venues including theaters, chess and card rooms and fitness rooms as well as on-site educational training organizations were suspended.
Welfare, old-age services and mental health institutions are under closed-loop management.
The relevant regulations on epidemic prevention and control will be strictly implemented in agricultural trade markets, supermarkets, medicine stores and other venues, and flow restrictions with the maximum reception capacity of 50 percent will be strictly implemented. A hotline will be open to the public to ensure people can travel in a safe manner.
Driving restrictions based on motor vehicle license numbers shall be suspended within Tianjin from January 13 until further notice.