China has ordered a lockdown of nine million residents of the northeastern city of Changchun amid a new spike in Covid-19 cases in the area attributed to the highly contagious Omicron variant, reports AP.

Residents are required to remain home, with one family member permitted to venture out to buy food and other necessities every two days. All residents must undergo three rounds of mass testing, while non-essential businesses have been closed and transport links suspended.