COVID-19 cases in southeast China more than double as Delta spreads

Residents register for nucleic acid testing at a testing site in Quanzhou after new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged in Fujian Province, China, on September 13, 2021. China Daily via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS PIC WAS TAKEN BY A. PROVIDED THIRD SITE. CHINA OUT.

• 59 new local cases reported in Fujian Province
• Preliminary tests show the delta variant in some early cases
• The outbreak spread south from Putian to Xiamen. the end
• Travel restrictions imposed to limit circulation

BEIJING, Sept 14 (Reuters) – New local COVID-19 infections have more than doubled in China’s southeastern Fujian Province, health officials said Tuesday, urging officials to swiftly put in place measures, including travel restrictions, to stop the virus from spreading to stop.

The National Health Commission said 59 new locally transmitted cases were reported as of September 13, up from 22 infections the day before. They were all in Fujian, a province bordering Zhejiang to the north and Guangdong to the south.

In just four days, a total of 102 infections were reported in three cities in Fujian, including Xiamen, a tourist and transport hub with 5 million residents.

The infections come before the week-long national holiday from October 1, an important tourist season. The most recent domestic outbreak in late July through August disrupted tourist traffic and hit the tourism, hospitality and transportation sectors.

China’s passenger air traffic plunged 51.5% year over year in August, data released Tuesday showed, underscoring Chinese airlines’ vulnerability to repeated outbreaks, despite COVID-19 being largely under control in the country.

Fujian’s eruption began in Putian, a city of 3.2 million people. The first case was reported on September 10th. Preliminary tests on samples from some Putian cases showed that patients had become infected with the highly communicable Delta variant.

The outbreak has since spread south to Xiamen, where 32 new cases of community transmission were reported as of September 13, compared with just one infection the day before.

“The Putian government is a big customer of ours,” said an employee of a building surveying company in Xiamen, who did not want to be named.

“About half of our company went to Putian last week. They are now isolated at home while the rest went to do their Covid tests.”

Reuters graphic

LOCKING

Like Putian, Xiamen has closed some areas at higher virus risk, canceled offline classes in kindergartens, elementary schools and secondary schools, closed public venues such as cinemas, gyms and bars, and urged residents not to leave the city for non-essential reasons.

The first patient in the Xiamen cluster was in close contact with a case in Putian, the Xiamen authorities said late Monday.

Known for its mild weather and relaxed lifestyle, Xiamen is a popular inland tourist destination.

Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is also a major transportation hub that connects the Yangtze and the Pearl River Delta. According to aviation data provider Variflight, around 60% of flights to and from Xiamen were canceled on Tuesday.

Both Putian and Xiamen began city-wide testing for the coronavirus on Tuesday. However, cities have yet to announce tough city-wide lockdowns, as seen in China in early 2020.

Three new cases of community transmission were also reported in nearby Quanzhou City, up from six infections the day before. Variflight data showed that 70% of Quanzhou flights have been canceled.

“One wave after another,” said a bank manager in Xiamen. “It feels like the new normal now.”

Reporting by Ryan Woo, Roxanne Liu, Kevin Huang, Stella Qiu, Yan Shen, and Liangping Gao; Editing by Stephen Coates and Michael Perry

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/09/14/covid-19-cases-in-southeast-china-more-than-double-as-delta-spreads/