Chinese authorities have closed the famous Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, after a small outbreak of Covid-19 was detected in the Himalayan region.
The decision underscores the country’s adherence to the Zero tolerance policy with Covid-19which implies lockdowns, mass testing, quarantines and other restrictions.
A notice posted on the palace’s official Wechat social media account announced that the structure, where Tibet’s Buddhist leaders once resided, was closed as of Tuesday. The reopening date will be announced later.
THE Tibet’s economy relies heavily on tourism and Potala is a great attraction. China argues that its strategy has been successful in preventing large-scale hospitalizations and deaths. Critics, including the World Health Organization, however, point to its economic and social impact, deeming it unsustainable, given the changing nature of the virus and new methods of prevention and treatment.
China announced, in the last 24 hours, 828 new cases of Covid-19, among which 22 were detected in Tibet.
Tibet had no cases of the new coronavirus for 920 days.
More than 80,000 tourists also remain stranded on Hainan, the country’s southernmost tourist island, under a requirement that they test negative for the virus for five days in a row before being allowed to leave the island.
Source: Observadora
