SHIJIAZHUANG, CHINA — You won't believe how fast China has built this massive quarantine camp.
Here's why they did it: CNN reports that China is rushing to build a massive quarantine camp that can house more than 4,000 people, after an outbreak of Covid-19 this month that has left tens of millions of people under strict lockdown.
The camp is located on the outskirts of Shijiazhuang, not far from Beijing.
Construction began on January 13 and the first section of the camp is now complete and ready for use, according to state-owned broadcaster CCTV.
China has largely contained the spread of the virus, but a sudden rise in cases has alarmed officials and raised concerns ahead of the Lunar New Year, the county's most important annual festival, during which hundreds of millions of people are expected to travel to visit family members.
Officials in Shijiazhuang, where the outbreak is centered, have initiated mass testing and strict lockdowns, moving entire villages into centralized quarantine facilities in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
The new quarantine camp will house close contacts of confirmed Covid-19 patients, as authorities continue an extensive contact tracing and testing program.