Chinese vice premier inspects virus-hit Zhengzhou, orders swift actions to stem spread

ZHENGZHOU, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan inspected virus-hit Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan province, ordering immediate implementation of anti-epidemic measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged accelerating investigations into key personnel like close contacts and conducting city-wide nucleic acid testing. She said lessons must be drawn from in-hospital infections.

Sun visited the city immediately after attending a teleconference held on Wednesday in Beijing by the State Council joint prevention and control mechanism against COVID-19.

Sun visited venues including the provincial center for disease control and prevention, a nucleic acid testing site, a residential community and the sixth people's hospital of Zhengzhou, where in-hospital infections have occurred and spread to the rest of the city.

After learning about the in-hospital infection control and other anti-epidemic measures of the city, Sun demanded immediate reports and quarantine of infections, vowing zero tolerance for in-hospital infections.

Authorities across the country must further enhance their sense of responsibility amid the recent COVID-19 resurgence in multiple regions, said Sun.

Local Party and government officials should be trained with policies, guidelines and professional knowledge of disease prevention and control, so as to improve their ability of emergency responses, Sun added.

Sun also requested the State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism against COVID-19 to supervise and inspect the implementation of epidemic prevention and control policies in all regions.