Beijing must tackle Covid-19 once again.
China's capital city of Beijing has ordered all of its city schools closed after dozens of a new Covid-19 cases were confirmed.
Universities have also been closed, with non-essential travel to and from the city suspended, and fencing placed around dozens of neighbourhoods.
The city, home to 21 million people, is surrounded by the Hebei Province - which saw just 328 cases of the illness during the first wave - has seen at least 49 confirmed cases in the last few days. The World Health Organisation confirmed that at least one cluster in the city had been identified.
The virus originated in the city of Wuhan, which is over 1,100km south of Beijing, and strict lockdown measures enabled China to bring the virus under control. Beijing had gone 56 days without any local transmissions of coronavirus until Thursday.
Most recently, China's National Health Commission had reported that 177 people are being treated for COVID-19, while 115 are in isolation and under surveillance after showing signs of the disease or for having tested positive without displaying symptoms.
"The epidemic situation in the capital is extremely severe," Beijing city spokesman Xu Hejian warned at a press conference. "Right now we have to take strict measures to stop the spread of Covid-19."
The news comes as New Zealand, who had also brought their number of cases down towards zero, announced new transmissions following the arrival of tourists.
Ireland announced 14 new cases of the virus earlier today.
