Xi'an authorities ready to aid millions in lockdown

Authorities in the northern Chinese city of Xi'an pledged to provide food, health care and other necessities for the roughly 13 million people under an almost two-week old lockdown. 

The Xi'an restrictions imposed Dec. 23 are some of the harshest since China imposed a strict lockdown on more than 11 million people in Wuhan in early 2020. The measures are an outgrowth of China's "zero COVID-19" policy. Travel to and from the city has been suspended, although there are some exceptions and rules have been relaxed slightly in some districts that have few or no cases.  A third round of mass testing has also been ordered, with the city capable of swabbing 10 million people in just seven hours and processing up to 3 millions results in just 12 hours.