A Chinese city that boasts a population of around 13 million people will be spending the final few days of 2021 in lockdown.
Xi'an, in the country's north, has only recorded 143 cases of coronavirus since December 9, but authorities aren't taking any chances.
People have been ordered to stay at home and only one resident from each household is permitted to leave the home every two days to get essential supplies.
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The lockdown is open ended and citizens haven't been told how long the latest measure to combat the spread of coronavirus will last.
According to the BBC, China has a zero-tolerance approach to the pandemic and is on heightened alert for outbreaks because they're hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in a few months.
Checkpoints have been set up on the city's perimeter, flights have been cancelled and other long-distance transport has been shut down.
Citizens aren't allowed to leave the city 'unless necessary' and they will only get approval to skip town if they provide evidence to the government.
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People have been told to work from home and hospitality, retail and exercise centres have been closed as a precaution.
Even the Terracotta Army museum, which the city is famous for, has been ordered to close.
The city has now embarked on an ambitious testing regime for the entire 13 million population.
The lockdown has come at the same time as a seasonal outbreak of a 'haemorrhagic fever, a natural epidemic disease with a high fatality rate', according to the BBC.
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While 143 cases might not seem much to shut a huge city down, China has showed before it won't take any chances when it comes to coronavirus.
The Daily Mail reports the southern city of Dongxing, which has around 200,000 people, was plunged into lockdown after a single case was recorded.
China forecasts that further outbreaks will happen when the Olympics kicks off in February.
Han Zirong, vice president and secretary-general of the Beijing organising committee, told a press briefing: "A large number of people from different countries and regions will come to China and the flow of people will increase.
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"Consequently, a certain number of positive cases will become a high probability event."
No overseas spectators will be allowed to watch the Game next year in an effort to keep virus transmission to an absolute minimum.
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