A medical staff member collects a swab sample from a resident for COVID-19 test at the Pidu District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Pidu District of Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 10, 2020. Chengdu reported zero increase in new domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases and asymptomatic cases from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 6 p.m. Wednesday, while citywide nucleic acid tests are continuing, local authorities said. At the Pidu District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, medical workers have been working 24 hours nonstop to conduct COVID-19 tests as quickly as possible. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

The port city of Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, ordered all of its local medical institutions to enter wartime mode on Sunday, after the city reported a new confirmed COVID-19 case on Saturday, bringing the total to two confirmed cases and six silent carriers. 

All infection cases have been put under medical observation and treatment in designated hospitals, while management of medical staff across the city has been raised to the strictest level, the local health commission announced on Sunday at a press conference. 

The new reported case, a man aged 39, is a cook at a local restaurant. He tested positive for coronavirus while in quarantine. 

In an effort to curb the flare-up, a total of 500 testing booths have been set up by 2,500 medical workers from over 20 hospitals at the Jinpu new district where the COVID-19 cases were found. As of press time, the city has given nucleic acid tests to 813,504 people, of whom 192,567 have so far returned negative test results. 

A local community in the district has been listed as medium-risk area for contracting the coronavirus, local authorities noted. Residents within the area will have restrictions imposed on gathering activities.

People working in cold chain businesses will be put under closed-cycle management, and all related personnel and environment will receive screening tests at least once a week. Canteens, cold storage rooms, and food markets will tighten requirements to take body temperatures, scan health codes, and wear protective masks upon entering. 

The city reported four asymptomatic COVID-19 patients who worked as loaders in an import cold-chain company in Dalian on Wednesday, signaling a possible recurrence of the epidemic in the coastal city this winter, observers said.

Global Times