Chinese provinces face lockdown amid rise in Delta virus cases

At least eight provinces recorded new coronavirus cases in China as areas in Xiamen, located in China's Fujian province reported 55 new locally transmitted cases.

The highly transferrable Delta variant has reached over 20 cities in China with a cluster detected in Wuhan linked to the train station.

Authorities have begun testing on a mass scale across major cities including Beijing with at least 1.2 million residents to be placed under strict lockdown for the next three days in Zhuzhou in Hunan province.

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In Zhangjiajie, authorities placed lockdown restrictions last week amid a surge in coronavirus cases as Beijing blocked tourists from entering the capital.

The officials are reportedly trying to track down thousands who attended a theatre festival in Zhangjiajie which authorities say reportedly began as travellers came from Nanjing.

Authorities in the Chinese capital have been allowing only essential travellers to leave the city. National health authorities said new cases were detected in Henan province worrying officials as 12 new COVID-19 cases were reported. 

The local Zhuzhou government described the COVID-19 situation as "grim" and "complicated" even as Nanjing reporting fresh cases. Nanjing airport in eastern Jiangsu province had witnessed a surge in cases last month as officials ramped up testing.

According to authorities, 93,005 infections has been reported since the pandemic began in China last year with 22 imported COVID-19 cases reported from overseas in the past days.

China has reported 284 coronavirus cases in the past ten days across 14 provinces and municipalities with most cases reportedly originating from the eastern city of Nanjing.

Authorities have moved to put curbs on travel and banned tourist sites as summer travel peaks in the country.

(With inputs from Agencies)