China's Tianjin starts citywide COVID-19 testing

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 9, 2022 shows a testing site for nucleic acid test in Nankai District of north China's Tianjin. North China's Tianjin, a municipality that neighbors Beijing, has decided to start a citywide nucleic acid testing after 20 people tested positive for COVID-19, authorities said Sunday. The infections were reported from 6 p.m. Friday to 9 p.m. Saturday in Jinnan District, and the gene sequencing found the first two locally transmitted confirmed cases were infected with the VOC/Omicron variant, according to the municipal headquarters for COVID-19 prevention and control. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

TIANJIN, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- North China's Tianjin, a 13.86-million-people municipality that neighbors Beijing, has decided to start a citywide nucleic acid testing after 20 people tested positive for COVID-19, authorities said Sunday.

The infections were reported from 6 p.m. Friday to 9 p.m. Saturday in Jinnan District, and the gene sequencing found the first two locally transmitted confirmed cases were infected with the VOC/Omicron variant, said the municipal headquarters for COVID-19 prevention and control.

The other 18 infections are mainly students and their family members related to a daycare center and a primary school where the first two cases were from, Gu Qing, director of the municipal health commission, said at a press conference late Saturday.

The virus has spread in at least three generations in the latest resurgence, and more cases may emerge, said Zhang Ying, deputy director of the city's center for disease control and prevention.

The nucleic acid testing is expected to be completed in 24 hours in districts of Jinnan, Nankai, Dongli, and Xiqing from 7 a.m. Sunday and in other districts from 7 a.m. Monday. Residents will not be given a green health code until receiving a negative test result, the headquarters said.

The municipal and district departments of commerce have activated emergency response for market supply. They also organized more than 40 supermarkets and produce markets for stable necessity supplies to the residential communities with closed-off management.

A number of catering companies will also provide warm meals for the frontline epidemic-control workers, said the Tianjin municipal bureau of commerce.

Currently, the market supply for daily necessities in the city is abundant, with prices stable, the bureau said.

Commuters between Beijing and Tianjin have been advised to work at home, according to the Beijing municipal center for disease control and prevention. The center also told people in Beijing not to go to Tianjin unless necessary.