Taxi drivers held a strike to protest reduced incomes as authorities battle a Covid-19 flare-up in the southwest China.

Footage shows long queues of yellow taxis occupying roads in Chongqing municipality on November 11. The disgruntled drivers were seen screaming their demands in the middle of a traffic jam.

The strike comes after Chongqing Municipality confirmed four locally-transmitted cases of Covid-19 last November 2. Theaters, internet cafes, and other indoor recreational facilities were ordered closed to contain the spread of the disease.

Local media Xinhua news said organised group tours have also been temporarily banned. Meanwhile, the Chongqing Taxi and Car Rental Association said driver shifts will be phased in line with pandemic restrictions.

Despite its neighbours in the region learning to live with the virus, China has maintained its stringent zero-Covid approach, enforcing severe lockdowns to purge Covid-19 from the country. It is currently beating back fresh waves of the more virulent delta strain, which was detected in more than half of its 31 provinces.