Residents of Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province line up for nucleic acid tests on Monday, after 12 people in the city tested positive for the coronavirus. The city on Monday vowed to test 9 million of its residents within five days. Photo: VCG

 

The latest COVID-19 outbreak in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, exposed shortcomings and loopholes in epidemic prevention and control, and the city needs to maintain a "wartime status" to battle the virus, the local Party committee said on Tuesday. 

The city will need to carry out treatment, epidemiological investigation, screening, tests and lockdowns under the guidance of the working team sent by the National Health Commission, according to statements made at an epidemic prevention and control meeting by the Party committee of Qingdao comprising top officials from Shandong Province, city Party committees and government departments, local newspaper the Qingdao Daily reported on Wednesday.

People's safety and health must be made a priority, the meeting stressed.

The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 20 new confirmed COVID-19 cases for Tuesday, 14 imported and six locally transmitted. All local cases were from Shandong Province. 

Global Times