China ramps up COVID-19 measures ahead of Olympics, testing residents' patience

Repeated COVID-19 testing of millions of Beijing residents is starting to test the patience of some as the city clamps down on the virus ahead of the coming Winter Olympics.

A third round of mass testing that started Wednesday for the 2 million residents of Fengtai district drew complaints online and from residents bundled up against the wind to wait in line outdoors. The skies were sunny, but the daytime high hovered around the freezing point.

"I think it is too frequent," said a woman who only gave her surname, Ma. "I just did it yesterday and was asked to do it again today. I asked the question to the staff and they said, `Under the principle of testing everyone who should be tested, just do it since you are here."'

As health workers set up multiple testing stations around the city, there were scattered reports of people being told their testing would be delayed because of a system issue. It was unclear what the problem was and whether it would significantly set back the effort.

Athletes and others participating in the Games are being completely isolated from the general public to try to avoid cross-infection. Thirteen people who have come for the Games tested positive on Tuesday, bringing the total to 106 among the 3,695 who have arrived. Two of the positive cases are either athletes or team officials.

Those who test positive are taken to a hospital if they have symptoms and to a quarantine hotel if they do not.

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Beijing officials said Wednesday that eight people had tested positive in the 24-hour period ending at 4 p.m., bringing the total in the city's delta variant outbreak to 69. Of those, 54 have symptoms and 15 do not.

The numbers