Chinese vice-premier stresses curbing COVID-19 spread

NANJING - Chinese Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan has stressed solid efforts to prevent and control COVID-19 outbreaks and curb the spread of the virus.

Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during her inspection in the city of Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, from Thursday to Sunday.

Nanjing recently saw a new wave of local infections.

Sun learned about the local authorities' work including treatment of COVID-19 patients, epidemiological investigation, nucleic acid testing, prevention of hospital infections, and supply of daily necessities.

Stressing measures of quarantine and disinfection, Sun urged efforts to improve the efficiency of epidemiological investigation by using information technology and ensuring the accuracy of nucleic acid testing.

She also demanded local authorities ensure daily supplies for residents, provide psychological counseling, enhance efforts to treat and save patients, and improve the training of medical personnel.

During the inspection, Sun met with relevant departments and experts to analyze the current epidemic situations across the country and sent work groups to provinces of Hunan and Henan, where local outbreaks also emerged.

Stressing the key task of guarding against imported COVID-19 cases, Sun said local governments should establish a mechanism to switch between regular prevention and emergency response measures, step up risk monitoring and limit the number of visitors in tourist sites.