Covid 19 outbreak hits eastern China; Putian city sealed off, travel restricted
By Lokmat English Desk | Published: September 13, 2021 12:50 PM2021-09-13T12:50:34+5:302021-09-13T12:50:34+5:30
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The city of Putian in the province of Fujian in China has been virtually sealed off with residents advised not to leave after 20 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Sunday for the day before, health authorities have said.
All reported 20 positive Covid-19 cases were from Xianyou county, the largest county in Putian. Preliminary analysis of the Covid strain shows the outbreak was triggered by the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
The new cluster comes weeks after China contained the July wave of the Delta variant that had spread across the country, the worst since the Wuhan outbreak in 2020. The new cases have been linked to a Chinese national who returned from Singapore last month. At least six infections have been traced back to him.
Hundreds of contacts including children in an elementary school have been isolated. Six people from two families were first to test positive on Friday, including three children aged between 10 and 12 years.
Villages in Xianyou, where confirmed cases were found, have been sealed, a state media report said. The county’s Fengting town has been designated as a Covid-19 high-risk area after new local infections were reported, news agency Xinhua reported.
The Covid-19 response headquarters of Xianyou has advised residents to work from home and wear masks on public transportation, and has banned large gatherings.
“The operations of the county’s indoor entertainment venues, such as museums and movie theatres, have been suspended. Also, customer flow has been restricted in supermarkets and other essential services providers,” the report said.
Cinemas, card rooms, gyms, tourist sites and other facilities in Putian have been shut down. Restaurants and supermarkets have been told to “strictly control” customer numbers and to check for fever.
Cinemas, card rooms, gyms, tourist sites and other facilities in Putian have been shut down. Restaurants and supermarkets have been told to “strictly control” customer numbers and to check for fever.
