Chinese vice premier stresses containing COVID-19 in Yangzhou

YANGZHOU, Jiangsu, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Wednesday stressed effective measures to close loopholes and contain the COVID-19 resurgence in the eastern Chinese city of Yangzhou.

Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when inspecting epidemic control measures in Yangzhou, where a recent outbreak of COVID-19 has caused an increasing number of infections in communities.

She asked the local epidemic control headquarters to increase efficiency and coordination, and told local officials to show a great sense of responsibility and do a better job.

People at risk of contracting COVID-19 should be properly managed and the epidemiologic surveys on them should be done within 24 hours of their being identified, she said.

Sun also ordered strict enforcement of quarantine measures for high-risk people and communities, and asked the city to open more quarantine stations.

The local authorities have also been told to arrange nucleic acid tests properly to avoid the gathering of crowds, enhance epidemic control measures at localities such as nursing homes and orphanages, and prevent in-hospital infections.

Yangzhou reported 54 new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to the Jiangsu provincial government on Wednesday.