Residents in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province line up for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing at a local elementary school on Tuesday. In-person classes were suspended and all residents have been ordered not to leave the city unless very necessary after 35 cases were confirmed in Xiamen. Photo: VCG

The latest COVID-19 spike in East China's Fujian Province has been basically contained, but uncertainties remain and the situation is at a stalemate, experts from Chinese National Health Commission's working team to Fujian Province made the latest assessment on Wednesday.

Fujian reported 13 new confirmed cases on Wednesday, including 11 in Xiamen and two in Putian.

They pointed out that the current epidemic in Putian is slowing down, while the situation in Xiamen is relatively complex and severe, although most of the new infections have come from close contacts and sub-contacts of existing confirmed cases. 

Currently, Putian, the first epicenter of the latest wave of outbreaks, has achieved initial results in the prevention and control of the epidemic, with the reported confirmed cases remaining in single digits for four consecutive days, experts noted, adding that the important reason for this result lies in the timely implementation of nucleic acid testing and quarantine measures.

So far, 10 rounds of nucleic acid tests have been conducted in Fengting Town, Putian. Putian also reported zero confirmed cases in the community for the first time on Tuesday.

As the number of confirmed cases gradually decreased, the next step for Putian will be to focus on patients with severe infections. In view of the fact that many young children have been infected and there are confirmed cases among elderly people over 80, the National Health Commission will also send more experts to work with local authorities to help treat those infected in the latest wave of the epidemic.  

As for Xiamen, the number of cases has increased rapidly since the first case was reported on September 12, and the total number of cases has reached nearly 200. Experts concluded that the current epidemic situation in Xiamen mainly faces multiple risks from the spread and spillover of the epidemic, and inadequate prevention and control.

As of Tuesday, Xiamen had conducted three rounds of nucleic acid tests on all residents, but experts have said it was still not clear how many people might be infected.

At the same time, expert noted that the window of spillover of confirmed cases from Xiamen to other provinces has not yet passed. According to data released at a conference in Fujian Province on Monday, more than 190,000 people have moved out from the two cities.

Global Times