Coronavirus: Guangzhou reports 1 new case but official says pandemic battle is at ‘critical stage’

Megacity must stay vigilant to avoid a resurgence of infections, health commission says
Three new areas have been locked down and dozens of other hotspots are still under quarantine

Coronavirus pandemic

Guo Rui

Published: 6:00pm, 15 Jun 2021

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Social distancing measures and some lockdowns will remain in place in Chinese megacity Guangzhou, with a health official saying even though it reported just one new Covid-19 case on Tuesday the pandemic fight was at a “critical stage”.

The city in southern China – home to nearly 19 million people and a major transport hub – has recorded 147 infections, including seven asymptomatic, since the latest outbreak began on May 21. Cases have also been detected elsewhere in Guangdong province.

Despite the relatively low number, Guangzhou Health Commission spokeswoman Chen Bin said the city must remain vigilant to avoid a resurgence of cases.

“The battle against the pandemic is still at a critical stage. We cannot afford to be complacent and lower our guard,” Chen said. “[We must] press on until we win this struggle against the pandemic.”

Chen urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, follow government prevention and control measures including using the health code app on their phones to move around the city, and to continue to wear face masks and avoid mass gatherings.

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Three new parts of Huangpu district were locked down on Monday, adding to the dozens of areas in the city still under quarantine, though restrictions were lifted for 11 other hotspots. China has largely brought the pandemic under control but for sporadic outbreaks it has avoided the tough, citywide shutdowns seen in Wuhan, where the first Covid-19 cases were detected in late 2019. Health authorities are instead using what they call “precision” quarantine rules in neighbourhoods and communities where infections are reported.

In the latest outbreak, infections have also been found in three other Guangdong cities – Foshan, Maoming and Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong. Shenzhen on Tuesday reported one new locally transmitted case.

Meanwhile, mass vaccinations will resume in Guangzhou in July, according to Zhang Zhoubin, deputy head of the city’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Health authorities in Guangzhou last month temporarily suspended the vaccination programme to throw more resources at its mass testing drive as they tried to stop the spread of the virus. China has set an ambitious target of vaccinating 40 per cent of the population – about 560 million people – by the end of June.

With lockdowns now lifted for most of Guangzhou and the latest outbreak under control, economic recovery was the priority, said Peng Peng, vice-president of the Guangdong System Reform Research Society, a think tank in the city.

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Peng said he expected GDP growth in Guangzhou – an industrial centre – to shrink by about 0.5 to 1 per cent in the first half of 2021 as a result of the pandemic.

“In addition, Guangzhou’s economy will likely grow at a slower pace in the first half of the year than in the second half, as the economy will likely pick up steam again from next month when the pandemic is fully under control,” he said.