Major Big City in "wartime" mode as 13 confirmed COVID-19 cases

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Beijing reported five more COVID-19 cases and one asymptomatic case on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections since December 14 in the Chinese capital to 13. The source of the infections remains unknown, but some experts believe it may have been imported from overseas.  

Among the five cases, four are employees at Jinma Industrial Plant in Beijing's Shunyi district. The one silent carrier is a taxi driver from Shunyi. 

These newly confirmed locally transmitted cases are close contacts of confirmed cases, health authorities reported. 

Since December 23, Shunyi district has launched free nucleic acid testing in 13 administrated townships and sub-districts, planning to test 800,000 people. The district has been in "wartime" mode since Friday. 

With sporadic cases related to Beijing's Chaoyang district appearing as well, Chaoyang district has tested more than 234,000 people in areas and three sub-districts of Wangjing, Donghu, and the airport. 

Beijing mayor Chen Jining visited Shunyi district on Saturday night, urging local officials to thoroughly complete epidemiological investigations and nucleic acid testing.

Officials and health experts will use big data, door-to-door visits and tests to understand how the virus has been transmitted.

In the past 13 days, from December 14 to Saturday, Beijing reported a total of 13 confirmed infections, three in Chaoyang district, one in Xicheng and nine others in Shunyi. 

Of them, at least four infections have direct or indirect links with cold-chain products, either through the selling or purchasing of frozen products. 

Unlike the Xinfadi market outbreak that occurred in June, this wave of the epidemic is more sporadic and clustered in certain areas. The source of the infections remains unknown. 

Beijing's COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control faces a major test with sporadic cases re-emerging and the New Year and Spring Festival holidays fast approaching, the Beijing government said on Friday, calling on companies not to arrange business trips outside of the capital and abroad and advising residents not leave the city during the Spring Festival holidays in addition to schools and companies staggering their holidays. 

Beijing encourages residents to stay in the capital during the holidays, and not to visit cities and regions at high or medium risk of COVID-19 infection. Officials at Party and government organs should take the lead in staying in Beijing for the festival and will be subjected for strict review and approval if they need to leave the capital, Chen Bei, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing municipal government, said at Friday's media briefing.

Source:globaltimes

Editor: Crystal H

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