China blames imported Covid-19 cases as Shenzhen logs 3rd infection
- Third locally transmitted case is a close contact of one of two Delta infections reported earlier
- National Health Commission links original pair to imported cases as spokesman highlights challenges posed by globally resurgent pandemic
The Shenzhen Health Commission on Saturday reported a third locally transmitted case, a resident of Longgang district who is a close contact of one of the two epidemiologically linked Delta infections detected the previous day. Her symptoms are mild and she is being treated at a designated hospital, authorities said.
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The two earlier cases, a married couple who also live in Longgang district, were detected during routine screening of employees in key industries.
“Genome sequencing results show that [this is] a local outbreak caused by recent imported [coronavirus cases],” He Qinghua, an inspector from the National Health Commission, told a press conference in Beijing on Saturday.
Commission spokesman Mi Feng highlighted the challenges posed by a resurgent pandemic worldwide.
“Nearly 1.9 million cases per day have been added globally in the past week, more than twice the previous peak of the pandemic. Hence the pressure on preventing cases from being imported into China has further increased,” Mi said at the same press briefing.
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Shenzhen rolled out citywide PCR nucleic acid testing on Saturday. City authorities have also listed the two buildings in Longgang district where the patients lived as a “medium-risk” area for Covid-19, a rating which places residents under quarantine until it is downgraded to “low-risk”.
Nearly 630 close contacts and 379 secondary contacts of the three cases have been placed under quarantine.
As of Sunday, operations were suspended at all leisure venues in Longgan district, including massage parlours, spas, tea-houses, internet cafes, bars, theatres, cinemas, gyms and swimming pools.
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All local student and child care institutions and offline tutoring agencies have also been ordered to close.
Local residents have been asked not to leave the city or Guangdong province without good reason.
From midnight on Friday, all those wishing to leave the city must show a negative PCR test result taken in the preceding 48 hours to officials at airport terminals or other checkpoints.
Those who have been in Shenzhen during the previous two weeks will find an asterisk next to its name in their electronic proof of travel record, highlighting that the city had medium or high-risk areas for Covid-19.
Visitors from neighbouring Hong Kong, itself battling a wave of Omicron cases, still have to undergo 14 days of quarantine followed by a seven-day period of home isolation, but those from Macau need only provide proof of a negative PCR test taken in the preceding seven days.
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Some intercity buses connecting to neighbouring Huizhou and Dongguan have been suspended. Both those cities have also conducted mass nucleic acid testing and imposed gathering restrictions.
Shenzhen also reported two imported cases on Saturday, one of them asymptomatic. Both are Chinese nationals who flew in from the United States and have been sent to hospital.
China had 92 new domestic cases as of Saturday, down from 95 the previous day, but the outbreaks had spread further north. The northern port city of Tianjin reported 2o local infections, including two Omicron cases.
