Chinese authorities have imposed lockdown and other COVID-19 restrictions in Ghulja city as a response to the hike in the cases of deadly infection prompting ‘bread and butter’ difficulties for Uyghurs in the region.

People living in Ghulja, a city in far northern Xinjiang, took this to social media and expressed their concern about the COVID-19 measures inflicting more hardship on them given that many families have already been devastated by the impact of China’s system of internment camps that have deprived them of their breadwinners, Radio Free Asia reported.

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Residents in Ghulja also informed that their doors have been locked from the outside and they have been trapped in their homes for at least a week.

“The doors are locked, sealed, and we are sitting at home without leaving,” a resident said.

Meanwhile, the sudden imposition of lockdown by the Chinese authorities has also made it difficult for people to go out and shop for food, Radio Free Asia reported.

“Be brave, my people of Ghulja, who have been trapped in their homes since October 3rd. … Especially the people who depend on daily income. Be patient, there is wisdom in everything,” wrote a person from the Uyghur community on social media.

Weeks back, China’s Fujian province had also reported over 150 cases of COVID-19 cases pushing authorities to shut down schools in multiple cities, in order to phase stricter epidemic prevention and control measures, reported Global Times.