COVID-19 in China: ALL The Latest

12 Minutes Read

• A total of 364 positive cases were discovered among 13 million residents from Shijiazhuang and Xingtai (both cities in Hebei province) in the first round of mass nucleic acid testing.

• Amid growing concerns of another round of COVID-19 infections over the upcoming Spring Festival travel rush, a number of provinces and cities in China have issued requirements specifying that people from low-risk areas should also provide negative nucleic acid test results valid within seven days upon their return.

• It is recommended to avoid travel. If you do travel, please be sure to confirm the epidemic prevention requirements with the local epidemic prevention command department, airport, hotel and community before travelling, in order to avoid the risk of being quarantined.

 High & Medium-Risk Areas in China 

Data as of 11th January.

If you've visited any of the areas below, or your office/ living address is registered in one of those areas, you might risk being quarantined when you visit another city or region.

Currently there is 1 high-risk area and 75 middle-risk areas in China. The high-risk area is located in Hebei (Shijiazhuang) and the middle-risk areas are located in Beijing, Liaoning (Dalian & Shenyang), Heilongjiang (Heihe) and Hebei (Shijiazhuang & Xingtai). 

Click on the images to enlarge

If you've visited any of the areas mentioned above, please socially distance and get a test immediately. If you have symptoms, please visit the hospital for a COVID-19 test.

 Hebei Outbreak 

The virus strain found in coronavirus-hit Hebei Province in North China is believed to be from overseas and patient zero had emerged before December 15, Hebei authorities revealed on Sunday, but how the virus was imported remains a mystery. Even though Shijiazhuang reported 40 more confirmed cases in the morning of Sunday, experts predicted that whether this outbreak can be brought under control depends on whether the number of new confirmed cases sees a downward trend in the next two weeks. 

The tracking of infection sources is ongoing, but preliminary estimates showed that the virus strain of the Hebei outbreak may have originated from overseas. The virus gene sequencing results showed the virus strain belongs to a European family branch, and has no relation with previous domestic outbreaks, Shi Jian, an official from the Hebei provincial disease prevention and control center, said at a press conference on Sunday.
Furthermore, the full genome sequence of the coronavirus in this outbreak does not contain the mutant viruses detested in Great British and South Africa, Shi revealed. Based on the time of the onset of the early cases and the passage of the virus, it is initially thought that patient zero had emerged before December 15. 

A total of 364 positive cases were discovered among 13 million residents from Shijiazhuang and Xingtai in Hebei who had undergone nucleic acid tests, authorities announced Sunday, saying the epidemic scale shows no sign of expanding, but more positive infections are likely to be seen in the near future. These 364 positive infections were found from the cities of Shijiazhuang and Xingtai in the first round of mass nucleic acid testing. The second round of tests is ongoing. 

The epidemiological investigation into all COVID-19 cases has been completed. More than 11,000 close contacts and 5,800 secondary close contacts have been tracked and quarantined. Another 1.28 million people who were labeled as key population are being closely monitored, Shi revealed. 

 Some provinces require negative COVID-19 test 

Amid growing concerns of another round of COVID-19 infections over the upcoming Spring Festival travel rush, a number of provinces and cities in China have issued requirements specifying that people from low-risk areas should also provide negative nucleic acid test results valid within seven days upon their return. 

Central China's Wuhan, the first city to have reported COVID-19 last winter, said in a notice on Saturday that for all people returning to Wuhan from low-risk areas in other parts of China, seven-day-valid negative test results are required. Body temperature checks and health codes are also needed. 

Local communities must arrange nucleic acid testing immediately for anyone who fails to provide valid results, and these people should also undergo 14-day health management from the community.

Southwest China's Sichuan Province has also made similar requirements. People entering the province from cities and districts of medium- or high-risk must provide seven-day-valid COVID-19 tests upon arrival. For those who come from other low-risk areas, only health codes are needed. 

Hulun Buir, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on Saturday released an announcement, saying that if an outbreak occurs in two or more cities in a certain province, all returnees from low-risk areas in that province must provide negative nucleic acid testing results valid for the previous seven days, or health certificates containing information on negative test results within seven days. 

Those who are unable to meet these requirements will be put under quarantine and tested within 24 hours. They will only be allowed to enter the city when the results are negative. 

Image: Xinhua

 Avoid traveling during Chinese New Year 

People are advised to stay in their city of work and reduce travels for Chinese New Year holiday as precautionary measures against the COVID-19 spread, National Health Commission said Saturday.

Zeng Yixin, deputy head of the National Health Commission, said at a news conference that the prevention and control of the pandemic still face challenges, especially with the approach of the Chinese New Year in February, which will see large people migrations across the country, an increasing number of people returning from abroad, as well as the increase of gatherings and imported cold chain goods.

To reduce the risk of disease spread, Zeng said staggered travel and online consumption should be encouraged and guided during holiday period. Schools should also optimize and stagger the timing of winter holidays and the start of the spring semester.

As a large volume of trips are expected ahead of the Chinese New Year in February, migrant workers are advised to stay in their city of work to reduce the movement of people as much as possible, he said, adding that the flow of traffic should be strictly controlled. All kinds of public places, such as conference events and scenic tours, should strictly comply with the relevant local regulations and the requirements for the control of people flow.

It is recommended to avoid travel. If you do travel, please be sure to confirm the epidemic prevention requirements with the local epidemic prevention command department, airport, hotel and community before travelling, in order to avoid the risk of being quarantined.

For specific epidemic prevention policies, you can consult the local authorities, or call the citizen hotline: local area code +12345. 

Make sure to apply for the local health code when traveling.

 Overseas returnees: NEW "14 + 7" quarantine policy 

On January 5, Beijing announced its new extended quarantine period of 21 days, and province like Guangdong, Hubei and Zhejiang have followed suit. Other provinces are expected to follow soon.

All overseas arrivals entering the province will be put into community management for seven days after being quarantined for 14 days and will be tested for COVID-19 several times.

Source: CDC疾控人, Global Times, China Daily, 广东省人民政府.

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We are monitoring the situation closely, and will inform you as soon as we have more information. 

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