Hangzhou faces new surge in local COVID-19 cases
Hangzhou in neighboring Zhejiang Province reported 28 locally transmitted cases from Wednesday to 7am on Friday amid the latest COVID-19 resurgence, official data showed.
The first case, confirmed in the early morning of Wednesday, was reported to be infected with the Omicron variant.
And the outbreak has expanded to three other provinces: An asymptomatic infection in Shangrao, Jiangxi Province, drove home from Hangzhou; a confirmed case in Anshun, Guizhou Province, is a close contact of a local case in Hangzhou; and a person coming from Hangzhou tested positive in preliminary screening in Luotian, Hubei Province.
Xia Shichang, deputy director of Zhejiang Provincial Health Commission, said on Thursday night that the current outbreak in Hangzhou was caused by Welbilt, a catering equipment company with a total of 297 employees.
Most confirmed cases in the latest resurgence are Welbilt employees. Others include nearby residents and people who attended a wedding in a nearby community.
After the company's annual year-end meeting, held on January 21, 57 employees returned to their hometowns for the Spring Festival, leading to the spread of the virus, while 240 others remained in Hangzhou, most in Binjiang District.
Xia said the transmission chain of the existing cases in this round of the pandemic in Hangzhou is mainly related to the employees of Welbilt and related people, including those living in the same rental house, dining together in the nearby residential complex or attending the same wedding.
Of the 240 employees who remain in Hangzhou, the confirmed cases are now receiving treatment at local hospitals while others have been put under quarantine as close contacts, Xia added.
A resident takes a nucleic acid test in Binjiang District, Hangzhou, on Thursday.
The first case showed symptoms on January 24, went to hospital the next day to seek medical treatment and tested positive in preliminary screening. It is inferred that he may have been infected on January 19, Xia said.
After testing imported materials in the company warehouse, several samples were assessed as positive for Omicron.
Also, whole-genome sequencing analysis performed on all positive infected persons showed very high homology with the virus strain reported abroad on December 11 last year, according to data released by the World Health Organization.
Judging from the testing results, the latest outbreak is believed to be closely related to overseas imported materials, Xia explained.
With Spring Festival around the corner, Xia advised people who want to leave Hangzhou to check the pandemic prevention and control policies of their destinations, such as whether a valid nucleic acid test certificate within 48 hours is needed.
Hangzhou residents were advised not to leave the city unless necessary. If people must leave, they should do a nucleic acid test and be fully aware of their health condition before going.
As Ningbo, another city in Zhejiang Province, recently detected virus in sealed fabrics imported from abroad, Xia reminded people to pay more attention to overseas express, mail and other items, and take corresponding protective measures.
Authorities in Hangzhou's Binjiang District issued a statement on Thursday, asking residents not to leave the community, not to go to crowded places unless necessary during the pandemic.
Gongshu and Shangcheng districts also took certain measures, including canceling large events, strictly controlling the number and scale of meetings, strengthening the management of cultural and entertainment activities, and encouraging people to stay put in Hangzhou for the holiday.
