A medical worker conducts a nucleic acid test on a boy in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province on Wednesday. Dalian launched a citywide testing on Tuesday in response to a resurgence of COVID-19. On Wednesday, one new confirmed case and eight asymptomatic patients were reported in the city. Photo: VCG

Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, announced that it was extending the COVID-19 quarantine period to 21 days from 14 as the new cases in the recent COVID-19 outbreak in the city show a longer incubation period, faster transmission and more complex pattern.

Some patients tested positive for COVID-19 after taking 11 nucleic acid tests, while in some regions, cases were still found even after six rounds of mass testing, said Dalian authorities at a press conference on Monday. 

In the wake of the recent cases, Dalian extended its previous 14-day quarantine period to 21 days for people who undergo quarantine at home and isolation centers, Tang Yi, head of the civil affairs bureau of Dalian said at the conference.

Tang explained that the decision to extend the quarantine period was made after officials found that this wave of infections has stronger and faster transmission capacity. People can only be discharged from quarantine after testing negative in all four rounds of nucleic acid tests.

 People who undergo quarantine cannot step out of the door, or their quarantine period will be reset and they or their neighbors from the same building may be transferred to designated hotels.

Dalian reported one new confirmed case on Monday, bringing the total number to 50 since the new outbreak started on December 15. 

The city entered "wartime" mode on December 20 to prevent the spread of the disease.

Global Times