Shanghai-like misery keeps Beijing on guard in the face of COVID-19 outbreak

Positive cases were detected across Beijing among the almost 20 million samples collected in the first round of mass testing, but the numbers remained low, said in Reuters report.

Beijing -The Chinese capital of Beijing closed some public spaces and stepped up checks at others on Thursday, as most of the city's 22 million residents embarked on more COVID-19 mass testing aimed at averting a Shanghai-like lockdown.

As Beijing rolled out three rounds of mass testing this week across a number of districts, it locked down a number of residential compounds, office blocks and a university after infections were found. Some schools, entertainment venues and tourist sites were also shut down.

Universal Studios in Beijing announced late on Wednesday it would require visitors to show negative test results before they could enter the theme park, starting on Friday.

Across Beijing, positive cases were found among the nearly 20 million samples acquired in the first round of mass testing, but numbers remained small. The city on Thursday reported 50 new infections for April 27, up from 34 a day earlier.

Since April 22, Beijing has found over 160 cases, more than half in Chaoyang, the city's most populous district known for its nightlife, malls and embassies. Despite the low caseload, Beijing remained on edge.