Chinese authorities are struggling to control a fresh new surge of coronavirus cases in the capital. On Monday, residents of Beijing were seen panic-buying at supermarkets to stock up on food and essential items, hoping to avoid Shanghai-style shortages in the case of a city-wide lockdown as the capital recorded a growing number of infections.

Authorities in Beijing have ordered 3.5 million residents and workers in the biggest district of Chaoyang to report for three coronavirus tests this week after the area recorded 26 of Beijing’s 47 symptomatic cases since Friday.

Aljazeera.