China takes swift measures to contain new COVID-19 infections

A restaurant staff member packs up take-away beef noodles for COVID-19 prevention and control volunteers at a beef noodle restaurant in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province, Oct. 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen)

LANZHOU, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- As a new wave of COVID-19 infections hits various regions in China, local authorities are taking targeted and intensive measures to contain its spread, highlighting the country's principle of putting people's lives and health first.

As of Thursday, new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases had been reported in 10 provincial-level regions, including Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, and Beijing.

Authorities in the affected regions have implemented measures such as massive nucleic acid testing, epidemiological investigations, closed-loop management, and travel restrictions.

Beijing's Changping District on Friday reported four positive cases of COVID-19. The Hongfuyuan residential community in Beiqijia Township, where the four individuals live, was listed as medium risk on Friday.

Changping District has started nucleic acid testing, and planned to test 34,700 people in connection with the area, according to Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of Beijing's center for disease control and prevention.

As of 7 a.m. Friday, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region had 30 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases under medical treatment, and their close contacts have all been put under quarantine for medical observation at designated sites.

To contain the spread of infections, health authorities in Ejina Banner (county) in Alxa League (prefecture) have launched a third round of all-inclusive nucleic acid testing starting 8 a.m. Friday.

In northwest China's Gansu Province, three new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on Thursday, bringing the total number of infections to 18 this week.

"We are putting COVID-19 control as the top priority, combating its spread with all necessary measures and all-out effort, and at all costs," said Liang Chaoyang, deputy head of Gansu's COVID-19 prevention and control leading group office.

Lanzhou, capital of Gansu, suspended in-person classes at local kindergartens, primary and high schools, and off-campus training institutions from Thursday. Vocational middle schools and colleges in the city have been put under closed-off management.

In the wee hours of Thursday, students at Lanzhou University were queuing to undergo nucleic acid tests.

"We have sufficient medical knowledge to take protective measures and we have full confidence in the country's ability to contain the epidemic," said Chen Youhai, a postgraduate student at the university's public health college.

The city's community workers were also mobilized to provide services to those undergoing nucleic acid tests.

"Community is the front line of epidemic prevention and control. We have the obligation to guard our post to prevent its spread," said Zhang Qi, a community doctor in Lanzhou's Chengguan District.

After the Tianqinglishe residential community in Chengguan was listed as a medium-risk area for COVID-19 infection, local authorities began sending residents three meals every day.

"We believe we will get over this epidemic wave soon," said a resident under quarantine.