Beijing District Urges Staying Home For Weekend As COVID Cases Rise

Beijing's biggest district urged people to stay home during the weekend and COVID-19 outbreaks grew in numerous Chinese cities on Friday, even as China further fine-tuned its COVID rules by removing capacity limits at entertainment venues.

Under a series of measures unveiled last week, authorities have sought to be more targeted in applying COVID-19 curbs that are taking a heavy toll on the economy and fuelling public frustration and anger, sparking investor hopes this week for more significant easing.

However, China continues to emphasise its commitment to its zero-COVID policy, which Beijing argues saves lives, as outbreaks in cities across China lead to ongoing localised lockdowns.