Citizens in Yangzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province are receiving nucleic acid testing on Sunday amid the latest epidemic outbreak with a total of 94 confirmed cases reported as of Tuesday. Photo: IC

A woman surnamed Mao from Nanjing, capital city of East China's Jiangsu Province, is being investigated by police in Yangzhou, about 100 kilometers away from Nanjing, for hiding her itinerary and causing the COVID-19 flare-up in Yangzhou, where a total of 94 confirmed cases have been reported as of Tuesday. 

The Public Security Bureau of Yangzhou announced in a statement on Tuesday that Mao is suspected of violating regulations of anti-epidemic and disease prevention law as she had not reported to the community where she lives with her sister in Yangzhou about her itinerary. Her sister was also infected.

Mao left her residence in Nanjing that had already been put under control amid surging local infections and traveled to Yangzhou on July 21. However, local authorities issued a notice to local communities to ask local residents to report their itineraries to local authorities from July 21 to 27. But she did not, the statement said. 

The woman also frequently visited a number of public places in Yangzhou including restaurants, shops, clinics, chess rooms and farm markets, leading to the spread of the epidemic in the city. According to epidemiological survey statistics, 64 percent of confirmed cases in Yangzhou were related to mahjong parlors.

Yangzhou has become another city of concern amid the recent outbreaks as among 45 new local cases were reported in Jiangsu on Monday, 40 in the city. 

After staying for about a week in Yangzhou, Mao tested positive for COVID-19. She was later transferred to Nanjing public health medical center for treatment. 

The police decided to detain her on Thursday and the case is under further investigation.