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According to the reports, more than 13 million people in the Chinese city of Xi’an have been ordered to stay at home as authorities attempt to contain a Covid outbreak.
Since December 9, the northern city has recorded 143 infections.
According to the new restrictions announced on Wednesday, only one person per household is permitted to leave the house every two days to purchase essential goods, according to the report.
China has a strict zero-Covid strategy in place, employing mass testing and lockdown to prevent outbreaks.
As it prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in February, the country is on high alert for Covid.
Residents of Xi’an, famous for its Terracotta Warriors, are not permitted to leave the city unless they have extenuating circumstances and official permission, according to the report. The restrictions went into effect at midnight local time on Thursday.
Millions of tests have been carried out in Shaanxi province, which includes Xi’an.
Long-distance bus stations have already been closed, and checkpoints have been set up on major highways leading into the city. Several flights from Xi’an’s airport have been cancelled.
Non-essential businesses have closed, and local government employees have been instructed to work from home, according to the report.
According to the state-run Global Times, authorities closed indoor facilities such as bars, gyms, and cinemas last weekend as a precaution.
Officials have stated that the outbreak is caused by the Delta variant of Covid and have not mentioned Omicron.
This week, state media reported that Xi’an is under attack “dual epidemic” as there have been “several reported cases of haemorrhagic fever, a natural epidemic disease with a high fatality rate”.