Undated photo provided by Dalian Ocean University shows members of the university's anti-epidemic volunteer team delivering supplies to students' dormitory at the university in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. Photo:Xinhua

The city of Yingkou in Northeast China's Liaoning Province has rolled out lockdowns in some neighborhoods near the port and offered free nucleic acid tests for residents as a preventive measure, after the city recently reported 12 imported COVID-19 cases related to a cargo ship docking in the city's Mackerel Circle. 

The city published a report on Sunday on its epidemic prevention and control regarding the recent imported COVID-19 cases related to a Panama-registered ferry docking at the city's port. 

On January 2, the Panama-registered cargo ship "Asia Spring" docked at Yingkou Port mackerel area. On Wednesday, four crew members showed COVID-19 related symptoms, according to the report. Between Thursday and Saturday, 12 related imported cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Yingkou. All have been transferred to the centralized treatment center of Liaoning Province without outside contact.

Taking into consideration the large number of port workers, the increased risk of overseas COVID-19 imports, and the resurgence of domestic infections in many places in China, Yingkou has increased controls of contacts, sealed off some neighborhoods and villages for anti-epidemic management, and rolled out free nucleic acid tests. 

As of Sunday, 110,400 residents have been screened and tested negative. 

The city also urged its residents to carry out good personal protection measures and cooperate with the local government in the prevention and control of the epidemic.

A Yingkou resident surnamed Wang, who lives in the Yingkou Mackerel Circle, told the Global Times that speculation about a COVID-19 outbreak in Yingkou has been spreading on social media in recent days. 

"Several neighborhoods in the Mackerel Circle had been closed for a few days as a preventive measure even before any official notification, including Xingang Neighborhood, where my colleague lives," she said, "Although public transportation is still running normally, some of the public are still worried about the possible outbreak, and questioned the Mackerel Circle's local government over their delayed response."

A few waves of COVID-19 infections have hit Liaoning Province in the past month. A total of 71 confirmed cases were treated at hospital and another 27 silent carriers were also treated at designated hospital in the province as of Sunday.   

Global Times