The Chinese regime announced on Aug. 8 the first COVID-19 outbreak in Tibet since 2020. Authorities closed off part of the Tibetan capital Lhasa and mass-tested residents in three cities on Aug. 9 to contain the spread of the virus.
The virus was identified as the Omicron BA.2.76 variant. Chinese authorities claimed Mount Everest tourists brought the virus to the region.
Worried that authorities might lock down more cities, residents told The Epoch Times on Aug. 9 that many people are trying to leave Lhasa, causing heavy traffic and rising airfares.
“It costs over 8,000 yuan [about $1,200] to buy a flight from Lhasa to Chengdu [almost a two-hour flight],” A Lhasa resident said in a phone interview on Tuesday….