by 
The city recorded 18 infections from Saturday to Monday, all of which are subdivisions of Omicron BA.5.2, according to local disease control officials.
This is the first time a subtype has been reported in China, one of the last places in the world to still adhere to a strict zero-quad policy.
On Tuesday, Xi’an authorities announced extensive restrictions that would close parts of the city for seven days from Wednesday.
Recreational, sports and cultural venues, including bars, cinemas, gyms, libraries and museums, were closed; Restaurant meals and large gatherings postponed from weddings to conferences City official Zhang Jiaodong told a news conference on Tuesday that all places of worship were closed and religious activities were prohibited.
Kindergartens and primary and secondary schools were ordered to begin summer vacations soon, while universities were told to close their campuses, according to Zhang.
Authorities also closed nine residential neighborhoods classified as “high-risk areas”, prohibiting residents from leaving their communities.
“The seven-day temporary control measures are to silence the community as much as possible, reduce mobility … and the risk of cross-infection,” Zhang said.
The announcement caused a stir among some Xi’an residents, many of whom recall the city’s monthly strict search chaos between December and January.
As of Wednesday, Xian had reported 29 local infections.
Meanwhile in Shanghai, authorities on Tuesday ordered mass testing for 16 of its 12 districts, in response to a few new infections related to the karaoke bar.
Although the financial center lifted a month-long lockout from its 25 million residents in June, it is still subject to quorum restrictions ranging from repeated testing to targeted closures.
The city reported 24 locally cowardly-19 transfer cases as of Wednesday.
