Photo: VCG

Yangzhou in East China's Jiangsu Province on Friday noon suspended inbound and outbound rail connections amid a serious COVID-19 resurgence in the city, which so far has reached 220 infections, including 14 seriously ill and two in critical condition.

The city has been reported highest domestically transmitted infections over the last few days, and on Friday it reported 58 new patients out of 80, the nation's total domestically transmitted cases. 

Yangzhou currently has one high-risk area and 66 middle-risk areas.

The spread of the virus in Yangzhou is concentrated on local mahjong parlors, with senior citizens highly represented amongst reported cases. Latest available data on Tuesday showed 69 percent of the patients are aged 60 and above. 

Though local authorities did not reveal how many patients had been vaccinated, earlier indications were that few elderly residents had received the vaccine.

A Beijing-based immunologist who requested anonymity told the Global Times that lower vaccination rate and the fact that elderly people have higher instances of underlying conditions, could be possible reasons behind the higher rates of seriously= and critically ill patients in Yangzhou. 

Yangzhou outbreak began with a 64-year-old woman who broke quarantine restrictions leaving her community in Nanjing after the latter tightened restrictions after discovering COVID-19 patients related to Nanjing Lukou Airport. 

Mahjong. File photo: Xinhua

The initial infection in the elderly female surnamed Mao obscured her travel history and travelled to the nearby city of Yangzhou to live with her sister, who was also infected. She visited a few mahjong parlors, restaurants and markets during the week between her arrival and detection of her infection. The oldest close contact connected to Mao is 87 years old.

Mao was arrested for breaching quarantine restrictions, local authorities said on Tuesday.