Medical Teams All Over China Sent to Xinjiang Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases

[beijingwalker]

Medical Teams All Over China Sent to Xinjiang Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases
Updated July 18, 2020 21:50 +08

China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is witnessing a rise of coronavirus or COVID-19 cases in recent times. The province has reported 17 new cases of the deadly novel virus in the last two days following 149 days of no infection. According to the Chinese health authorities, the region has seen a spike in cases, as one case was confined on Thursday and 16 on Friday.

The National Health Commission (NHC) has sent a medical expert team on Saturday to the Xinjiang for investigating the epidemic amid the rise in the domestic cases, deputy general of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention told the Global Times.

Feng Zijian, deputy director-general of China CDC stated that the region is currently investigating to find out the source of the infection cases that are rising with every passing day. Feng mentioned that the scale of the epidemic in the region is still unclear and needs more field investigation.

Another team of 21 medical staff members from Wuhan flew to Xinjiang on Saturday morning to help in the fight against the outbreak. The Chinese city of Wuhan is the place where the virus probably originated and it was one of the hardest-hit places in the world. The team carried medical detection instruments that include extraction apparatus, nucleic acid detection kits.

A team of 21 medics from Jiangsu Province also flew to Xinjiang on Saturday to assist in the full-scale screening procedure. Following the public health emergency, the capital of the region, Urumqi has suspended public transport.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/soc...irus-confirmed-cases-rise-17-xinjiang-capital

 

[beijingwalker]

Chinese Province Xinjiang Offers Free Virus Testing Amid Outbreak Fears
Bloomberg News
July 18, 2020, 7:45 PM GMT+8

The capital of China’s Xinjiang province will offer free coronavirus tests amid fears of an outbreak that has led to a lockdown of housing compounds and the closure of malls and hotels.

Testing will be conducted in two phases in Urumqi, local government officials said at a press conference on Saturday. People in residential areas who’ve had direct or indirect contact with those who are confirmed or suspected to be infected will be tested first, they said.

Residents in other housing compounds, and government and civil servant institutions will be tested in the second phase. Urumqi, a city of more than 3.5 million people, has 17 confirmed cases and 23 asymptomatic carriers since it reported its first infection in five months on July 15.

Residents have been banned from leaving their housing compounds, with provisions made for those who are sick or in special situations, Caixin reported on Friday. People arriving from other provinces will be quarantined for seven days.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...offers-free-virus-testing-amid-outbreak-fears