Contagion rebounds in Xinjiang, HKSAR

New novel coronavirus infections in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and a rebound of COVID-19 in Hong Kong have added fresh pressure to contagion control efforts.

Public transportation services have been significantly reduced and people were advised to stay at home for at least a week in Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital, after a new cluster of locally transmitted COVID-19 cases was confirmed on Friday.

Five locally transmitted COVID-19 infections were reported in the city on Friday after a 24-year-old woman tested positive on Wednesday, the regional health commission said. It was the first confirmed case in Xinjiang since February.

The five new cases were confirmed between early Thursday and Friday morning. Eight asymptomatic cases were also reported on Friday, bringing the total number of such cases to 11, all in Urumqi. At present, 135 people are under medical observation, according to the regional health commission.

Asymptomatic cases are characterized by those who test positive for the novel coronavirus but do not yet show symptoms, nor have they produced any antibodies.

Zhejiang province health authorities also reported on Thursday that a man from Urumqi who runs a business in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, was confirmed to be an asymptomatic case. The 50-year-old man flew to Hangzhou from Urumqi on July 10 and was later driven to Shaoxing by his friends. He tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. So far, it's unclear whether the Zhejiang case is linked with the Urumqi infections.

Chen Quanguo, Party secretary of Xinjiang, said at a meeting on Thursday that the region will introduce the toughest and most decisive epidemic control measures to prevent the contagion from spreading. Chen urged local authorities to determine the source of the infection and carry out detailed contact tracing to ensure no one is overlooked during the process.

By 4:30 pm Friday, 332 inbound and 307 outbound flights to and from Urumqi Diwopu International Airport were canceled after the city's epidemic control measures were stepped up, said aviation data provider Variflight. People who want to leave Urumqi must present negative nucleic acid test results, said the Urumqi epidemic control command center.

The city's subway services had already been suspended since 10 pm on Thursday. What's more, people have been asked to stay at home for at least a week, with their groceries to be delivered by community workers. Shopping malls are also required to be closed until further notice, the command center said.

In the south, Hong Kong on Friday reported 50 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections, with growing concerns of a possible third wave of infections in the special administrative region.

As of 10 am Friday, all people entering the Chinese mainland from Hong Kong via Shenzhen, Guangdong province, must hold a certificate indicating they have tested negative for the novel coronavirus, and they must also undergo a 14-day medical observation in isolation, according to the latest announcement by the Shenzhen government.

The certificate should be issued by qualified testing institutes certified by the HKSAR within 72 hours of port entry. Some specific groups such as key business leaders, cross-border truck drivers and students are exempt from the quarantine after approval, but will continue to be subject to epidemic prevention and control requirements, it said.

The policy was made in response to fluctuations in the COVID-19 situation in the HKSAR to ensure the safety and health of those entering from the region and maintain orderly customs clearance, the announcement said.

Wang Xiaodong contributed to this story.