Urumqi Airport. File photo

Data from information provider Flight Master showed that as of 9:17 am on Friday, 89 percent of Urumqi Airport's total number of inbound and outbound flights had been canceled, after one symptomatic case and three asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 were reported on Thursday in Urumqi, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In fact, Chinese airlines have begun to take strict measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 for travelers into and out of Xinjiang.

Starting on Friday, Chinese airlines such as Juneyao Airlines and Shenzhen Donghai Airlines announced that all passengers to and from Urumqi must show negative nucleic acid test results taken within 7 days and ensure their health code is displayed as safe to travel. The passengers that fail to satisfy these requirements will need to undergo a 14-day quarantine for medical observation.

China Eastern Airlines said on Wednesday that all passengers who plan to fly Xinjiang will be required to display negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test results taken within 7 days, and a green health code, which shows the individual is not required to be under quarantine and can freely travel around the city. 

Data from information provider VariFlight said that by 10:30 am on Friday, 326 inbound and 302 outbound flights in Urumqi had been canceled. 

Xinjiang must take strict measures to stop the spread of the virus, prevent imported cases from entering the region, and strengthen COVID-19 testing capabilities in densely populated areas, Xinjiang's Party chief Chen Quanguo said on Thursday at a Party meeting.

Global Times