Beijing [China], January 8 (ANI): Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, reported 46 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Friday, local media reported citing authorities as saying on Saturday.

The city has registered 1,959 local cases since December 9, 2021, amid the latest resurgence. Of that number, 180 had recovered by Saturday, Xinhua reported.

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It further reported that Xi'an downgraded the classifications of five areas from medium-risk for COVID-19 to low-risk.

The city currently has a total of three high-risk areas and 55 medium-risk areas, according to Lyu Yongpeng, deputy director of the city's health commission.

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Lyu said that Xi'an will gradually lift its lockdown according to research conducted by experts and the central authorities.

Xi'an was placed under strict lockdown orders on December 23 in a drastic bid to contain the spread of a fast-growing COVID cluster.

But in the days and weeks since, a steady stream of complaints about food shortages, as well as heart-breaking scenes of critical patients -- including heavily pregnant women -- being denied medical care have shocked the nation, CNN reported. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)