China fights biggest Delta outbreak as Covid-19 cases grow in northeastern city of Dalian

Port city of 7.5 million people detecting an average of about 24 new local cases a day, the highest in the country
At least 21 provinces, regions and municipalities affected in most widespread Delta outbreak to hit China

Coronavirus China

Reuters

Published: 3:44pm, 15 Nov 2021

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China is battling the spread of its biggest Covid-19 outbreak caused by the Delta variant, according to numbers announced on Monday, with travellers from a city where infections have grown faster than elsewhere in the country subject to tough quarantine rules in nearby areas.

Authorities said 32 new domestically transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms had been reported for November 14, most of them in Dalian, a port city in northeastern Liaoning province.

That brings the tally of local cases since October 17 to 1,308, Reuters calculations based on official data showed, compared with the 1,280 from a summer Delta outbreak.

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This marks China’s most widespread Delta outbreak, which has affected 21 provinces, regions and municipalities. While it is smaller than many outbreaks in other countries, the authorities are anxious to block any further transmissions under the government’s zero-tolerance guidance.

A dozen province-level regions contained their flare-ups within weeks in the current outbreak, thanks to quick implementation of a complex set of curbs, including rigorous contact tracing, multiple rounds of testing of people in at-risk areas, the closure of entertainment and cultural venues, and restrictions on tourism and public transport.

However, Dalian remains locked in a struggle with the virus, National Health Commission official Wu Liangyou said.

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Since Dalian’s first local symptomatic patients from the latest outbreak were reported on November 4, the city of 7.5 million people has detected an average of about 24 new local cases a day, more than any other Chinese city, according to Reuters calculations.

In an unusually cautious measure, nearby cities including Dandong, Anshan and Shenyang have said people arriving from Dalian have to be quarantined at centralised facilities for 14 days before they can move freely.

As of November 14, mainland China had reported 98,315 confirmed coronavirus cases with symptoms, including domestically transmitted infections and those from overseas. There have been 4,636 deaths.