Thirteen million residents in northern Xi'an are in their seventh day of home confinement, and national health officials have called for measures to be strengthened further as China battles its worst virus surge in months, reports Mail Online.

Xi'an's inhabitants have been complaining of food shortages on social media but while officials admitted that there had been trouble providing essential supplies, they were quoted as saying by the newspaper that "the total supply of daily necessities in Xi'an is sufficient".

One resident surnamed Wang told the newspaper: "I live on.... a bowl of porridge every day, just to keep alive."

'I heard friends in other districts got their food delivered, but not here in Weiyang district.'

One woman said: "I didn't get any food delivered to me. I managed to order something from our convenience store downstairs two days ago, but not today."

"I have rice at home... I have several eggs left - one per meal, one meal per day," she said.

The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 166 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Friday.

Of the new local cases, 165 were reported in Shaanxi, and one in Shanxi, the commission said.

There were reportedly 29 new imported cases in 10 provincial-level regions, according to the commission.

One new suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai, and no new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day, it added.