Chinese authorities have locked down a major university in Beijing after finding one Covid-19 case as they stick to a “zero-Covid” approach despite growing public discontent.
Peking University students and faculty were not allowed to leave the grounds on Wednesday unless necessary and classes on the main campus — where the case was found — were moved online through Friday, a university notice said. Still, some people could be seen entering and leaving the main campus in the Chinese capital’s Haidian district.
Beijing reported more than 350 new cases in the latest 24-hour period, a small fraction of its 21-million population but enough to trigger localised lockdowns and quarantines under China’s “zero-Covid” strategy. Nationwide, China reported about 20,000 cases, up from about 8000 a week ago.
Authorities are steering away from citywide lockdowns to try to minimise the impact on freedom of movement and a sagging economy. They want to avoid a repeat of the Shanghai lockdown earlier this year that paralysed shipping and prompted neighbourhood protests. Revised national guidelines issued last week called on local governments to follow a targeted and scientific approach that avoids unnecessary measures.
Peking University has more than 40,000 students on multiple campuses, most in Beijing. It was unclear how many were affected by the lockdown. The 124-year-old institution is one of China’s top universities and was a centre of student protest in earlier decades. Its graduates include leading intellectuals, writers, politicians and businesspeople.
