Beijing launches mass testing after China reports surge in cases due to UK coronavirus strain

After announcing a partial lockdown in the capital, Chinese authorities have undertaken a mass testing programme in Beijing amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

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China on Friday reported a marginal decline in coronavirus cases with 103 new cases down from 144 COVID-19 cases a day earlier. The country has been reporting over a hundred new COVID-19 cases for over a week. 

The country's northeastern province has become the new epicentre of the virus with Heilongjiang reporting 47 new cases and Jilin province recording 19 new cases on Friday. 

The capital city of Beijing reported three new cases as authorities ramped up testing.

Amid a surge in cases, Shanghai authorities evacuated a residential neighbourhood near Bund riverfront after three new coronavirus cases were detected on Thursday. 

On Wednesday, nearly 1.6 million residents were banned from leaving Beijing after two cases of the UK variant was detected in the Chinese capital.

 It has been over a year since China reported the first case of the virus in Wuhan in December, 2019 with the first fatality due to the virus taking place on January 11, 2020.

China has been aggressively locking down areas hit with the virus and unleashed mass testing programmes including sweeping travel restrictions.

Chinese authorities are planning to impose strict coronavirus testing during the Lunar New Year next month when millions of Chinese travel nationwide.

According to Chinese officials, the total number of coronavirus cases in China stands at 88,804 with 4,635 fatalities.