BEIJING (AP) — About 80,000 tourists were stranded in the Chinese resort of Sanya after authorities declared it a hot spot for COVID-19 and imposed a lockdown.
The restrictions came into force on Saturday morning in an attempt by authorities to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the city on the tropical island of Hainan. On Friday there were 229 confirmed cases and another 129 were reported on Saturday.
China’s ruling Communist Party staunchly adheres to a “zero COVID” approach that increasingly contradicts the rest of the world. A recent outbreak in Shanghai became so widespread that authorities locked down the entire city, the country’s largest, for two months, trapping millions of people and dealing a blow to the national economy.
Railway authorities banned ticket sales in Sanya and all flights were canceled on Saturday.
Tourists wanting to leave Sanya have to test negative for the virus in five PCR tests in seven days, authorities said.
Meanwhile, hotels will offer their guests a 50% discount during the lockdown, a city official said in a press session.
The lockdown comes at the peak of the tourist season in Sanya, famous for its beaches.
