Public transport partly resumes in virus-ravaged Shijiazhuang

SHIJIAZHUANG - The northern Chinese city of Shijiazhuang, hit hard by the latest resurgence in COVID-19 cases, began to resume public transportation services on Saturday after new infections showed signs of subsiding.

The capital city of Hebei province on Saturday morning resumed the operation of 862 buses on 102 routes, while bus stops in medium- and high-risk areas will remain closed, the city's bureau of transport said in a statement.

The buses are also required to cap passenger numbers at below 50 percent of capacity and be equipped with safety personnel to take temperatures and enforce the staggered seating rules, the bureau said.

Taxies are also allowed to hit the roads in certain areas but carpooling services remain suspended.

The city imposed traffic restrictions earlier this month after it began to register dozens of COVID-19 cases a day. It reported one new confirmed COVID-19 case on Friday, the second consecutive day with just a solitary new case.