Beijing

Amid a virus wave in China, authorities ordered beds to be freed as the country reported 3,290 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.

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China has been hit hard with the Omicron wave as experts have warned it is the "stealth Omicron" also known as BA.2 which has been spreading rapidly. 

China has been reporting 1,000 new coronavirus cases per week for the past week over two years after the virus first appeared in Wuhan. The authorities have been grappling to fight the virus amid China's strict "zero-Covid" policy.

Also Read | Omicron survives on surfaces longer, stay more infectious: Study

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In a move to help health services cope with the virus, National Health Commission on Tuesday allowed patients with mild coronavirus cases to isolate at a central quarantine facility to ease pressure on hospitals.

The health body said admission in hospitals takes up vital "medical resources" as it urged people to isolate themselves at home. China's Jilin province has been the worst hit as reports said authorities had assembled temporary hospitals as cases reached over 5,000 in the past week.

Watch: Chinese cities under lockdown

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Reports claimed the authorities have included "blanket testing" and given directions that "not a single person" is missed. The authorities have built temporary quarantine facilities and banned residents from leaving the province with strict virus rules being applied.

Also Read: Chinese city of Qingdao reports Omicron outbreak among students

The authorities have also begun mass testing in various cities including Shanghai as the city moved to close schools to combat the virus. Shenzhen was put on lockdown after a surge in Omicron cases as major companies sought to close down operations.

China's national health commission said  28 regions were affected with the virus with the situation being "severe and complicated".

(With inputs from Agencies)