Beijing

China's Hebei province near Beijing recorded several new cases as authorities moved to impose travel restrictions and banned gatherings.

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Hebei recorded at least 20 locally transmitted virus cases with  64 new asymptomatic cases. Local authorities moved to clampdown on movement with residents ordered to present negative nucleic acid COVID-19 test at least 72 hours before boarding a plane or bus.

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City officials also began a massive COVID-19 testing campaign with reports indicating the last time local transmission took place in Hebei was in June last year. 

Reports said residents had visited village events in Xiaoguozhuang, Shijiazhuang as state-run Xinhua news agency reported the provincial capital had moved to suspend train service in order to combat the fast-spreading virus.

Reports said local authorities had also locked down some villages and banned gatherings in order to prevent further spread of the virus.

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Authorities had identified Gaocheng district in Shijiazhuang as a "high risk" zone, reports said.

There were also cases reported in Dalian, Liaoning province as residents were barred from leaving the city.

Beijing had begun mass vaccinations in the New Year with thousands lining up to get their jabs. China's state media reported that at least  73,000 people in the country's capital have received the vaccine.

Health authorities had given their approval to pharma giant Sinopharm, with the company asserting that it had 79 per cent efficacy rate to fight the virus.

The country plans to vaccinate millions of citizens this winter in the run-up to Lunar New Year in mid-February.