China's Xi'an clears high, medium-risk areas for COVID-19

XI'AN, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, cleared all areas classified as high and medium-risk for COVID-19 after more than a month's epidemic prevention and control efforts, local authorities said Monday.

The whole city has been downgraded to low risk, and all residents can travel freely with their health QR code from Monday, according to the municipal epidemic prevention and control headquarters.

The city's traffic, as well as work and production, has fully resumed while government organs at all levels and enterprises have returned to normal since Monday, the headquarters added.

As of Sunday, the city had reported 2,053 confirmed local cases since the resurgence of the epidemic in December.

"Low risk doesn't mean free of risk. The city will continue to strictly implement epidemic prevention and control measures," said Liu Feng, director of the provincial center for disease prevention and control.