BEIJING, Jan 13: China has locked down the three major cities of Shijiazhuang, Xingtai and Langfang in Hebei province as a second outbreak of coronavirus epidemic has occurred. Eleven million people are affected.

Hebei has reported more than 600 new positive cases since a week. Mass testing for covid has been done on all citizents of the capital city of Shijiazhuang. The province postponed its annual legislative meeting.

Hebei has imposed travel restrictions and quarantine measures especially as the Lunar New Year next month is causing concern. Those leaving Hebei province must produce a negative covid test certificate done within three days.

Hebei's first new case of infection was a man in Shijiazhuang's Gaocheng district. He was diagnosed on January 2. Gaocheng has closed all schools, train stations and taxi stands. On Monday, 20,000 residents from 12 villages in Gaocheng district were also sent to quarantines.

CDC officials claim that the current outbreak's strain came from Europe. Genetic sequencing needs to be done to confirm the source. They say whether the source was an asymptomatic carrier or contaminated cargo is not known.

Hebei borders the Capital of Beijing on all sides and a large number of its residents commute to nearby cities.