China's Sanya launches all-out efforts to combat COVID-19 resurgence

SANYA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Sanya, a coastal resort city in south China's Hainan Province, is moving rapidly to stem its latest COVID-19 outbreak with medics, frontline workers and over 4,000 volunteers joining the fight.

From Aug. 1 to 7, Sanya registered 801 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 409 asymptomatic infections, the provincial health commission said on Monday.

A task force was established to resolve issues faced by the city's 80,000-plus stranded tourists, such as travel refunds. The city has also ordered hotels to offer 50 percent discounts for stranded guests.

Medics are working around the clock at nucleic acid testing sites across the city. Wei Dixia, a head nurse at Sanya People's Hospital, said the testing site at her hospital opens 24 hours a day and samples around 4,000 people per day.

The screening process has become more efficient, with results now issued six to eight hours after testing, said Wei.

A total of 33 hotels with over 6,900 rooms have been designated as isolation sites for close and sub-close contacts of COVID-19 cases, according to Ji Duanrong, secretary-general of the Sanya Municipal Government.

On Saturday, Sanya designated 168 areas as high-risk for COVID-19 and 67 as medium-risk. The city has also established a task force to ensure supplies of food and necessities for residents living under closed management, Ji said.

A team dispatched by the State Council joint prevention and control mechanism against COVID-19 has arrived in Hainan to work together with municipal and provincial authorities to curb the resurgence.