Beijing: China is fighting its largest COVID-19 outbreak, which is caused by the highly transmissible Delta variant, with some districts banning individuals from a northeastern city where infections have spread faster than elsewhere in the country in the last week.
Between Oct. 17 and Nov. 14, a total of 1,308 domestically transmitted infections with verified symptoms were detected on the mainland, exceeding the 1,280 local cases reported during the summer Delta outbreak.
This is China’s largest Delta outbreak, with 21 provinces, regions, and municipalities affected. Although it is less than many previous outbreaks in other countries, Chinese authorities are eager to stop the spread as part of the government’s zero-tolerance policy.
A dozen province-level regions were able to contain their flare-ups in a matter of weeks, the swift implementation of a complex set of controls, which included rigorous contact tracing, multiple rounds of testing of people in high-risk areas, the closure of entertainment and cultural venues, and restrictions on tourism and public transportation is appreciable.
According to Wu Liangyou, a National Health Commission official, who spoke at a Saturday news conference, the northeastern city of Dalian is fighting the ailment.
People arriving from Dalian were quarantined at centralized facilities for 14 days before being allowed to move freely in a few cities around Dalian, including Dandong, Anshan, and Shenyang. Mainland China had reported 98,315 confirmed coronavirus cases with symptoms as of Nov. 14, including both domestically transmitted and overseas infections. A total of 4,636 people have died.