COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing

On 20 January 2020, the Daxing District Health Committee informed that 2 patients with fever were diagnosed with the new coronavirus. They had visited Wuhan and had been isolated and treated without respiratory symptoms. This case is the first report of a case found in Beijing.[3]

On 21 January, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission issued an announcement saying that Beijing has added five new cases of new coronavirus pneumonia. Among the 5 people, 3 are male and 2 are female. The oldest is 56 years old and the youngest is 18 years old. They all have travel history in Wuhan. As of 18:00 on 21 January, a total of 10 confirmed cases were reported in Beijing.[4]

On 22 January, Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and Beijing Municipal Government decided to establish a leading group for the prevention and control of new coronavirus infection pneumonia, with medical security, Seven groups including transportation guarantee, commodity supply, service guarantee for major events, public opinion response, social stability, and college work.[5] On the same day, 4 new cases were reported, and 14 cases were accumulated.[6]

On 23 January, Palace Museum announced that it would be closed from 25 January to prevent and control the epidemic.[7] At the same time, many museums and art museums including National Museum of China, National Library of China, Prince Gong's Mansion, National Art Museum of China have closed,[8] and the Beijing Miaohui was cancelled.[8]

In the early morning of January 24, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission informed that from 14:00 to 24:00 on January 23, there were 4 new cases of pneumonia caused by new coronavirus infection in Beijing, all of whom were male, aged from 21 to 65 years old. They have had a history of contact with Hubei.[9] On the afternoon of the same day, Beijing re-informed 3 newly confirmed cases.[10] A woman living in Daxing District recovered and was discharged on the same day.[11] On the same day at 5 pm and 8 pm, theB eijing Municipal Health Commission notified 5 newly confirmed cases and 2 cases.[12][13]

On 25 January, a male patient living in Daxing District recovered and was discharged, the second discharged patient in Beijing.[14] On the afternoon of the same day, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission notified 5 newly confirmed cases, 2 of which were cases with no history of contact with Hubei.[15]

Although China managed to flatten the curve quite well, there was a concern that another second wave of coronavirus will wreak havoc in Beijing, i.e. already spiked some 137 new local cases in a few days in mid-June 2020. Thus Beijing will be on its way to a lockdown soon. Nonetheless, the number of deaths from COVID-19 is still rather low at only nine victims.[16]