Close monitoring needed on Nanjing infections: expert

The progress COVID-19 over the next one or two weeks will be key to assessing whether a new wave of infections has started in Nanjing and whether more cases will occur, said Dr Zhang Wenhong, Shanghai's COVID-19 expert team leader.

If no more coronavirus infection cases are reported in the next one or two weeks outside Nanjing, that means the virus is controlled in the Jiangsu city, Zhang said.

"Strict prevention and control measures have been taken in Nanjing and we should be confident about bringing the spread of the pandemic under control," he said.

So far, the outbreak in Nanjing is still around Lukou International Airport, according to Zhang.

"If more cases not directly related to the airport are reported, it means the scale of the epidemic expands, calling for tightened measures," he noted.

Vaccination can not totally curb recurrence of COVID-19, Zhang said, but if the fatality rate is reduced to that of a flu through inoculation, the serious effects of the virus can be fully eliminated. Vaccination can establish immunity in people in a short time, he added.

Results of a study of 10.2 million people in Chile showed that inactivated vaccines made in China had a prevention effectiveness rate of 65.9 percent, a 90.3 percent guard rate against people going to ICU, and 86.3 percent against death, according to Zhang.

Wu Fan, deputy dean of Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, has called on city residents not to visit high- and medium-risk regions or make outbound trips. People should also take precautions such as wearing masks, keeping social distance, washing hands frequently and keeping good ventilation, Wu said.

So far, there are five high-risk regions and 49 medium-risk regions in China, most of which are in Nanjing.

Shanghai's 350 fever clinics are on high alert with stricter closed-loop management imposed.

"There are some residents returning to Shanghai who come to our hospital for screening these days," said Li Ping, a nurse at Ruijin Hospital's fever clinic.

ChinaJoy, scheduled to start on Friday, now requires all attendees to show their negative nucleic acid test report on entry as the organizer tightens prevention and control measures.

Those who could not meet the new requirements announced on Friday morning will get a refund.