A medical worker collects a swab sample at a nucleic acid testing site in Ejina Banner of Alxa League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct 2021.Photo:Xinhua

The China-Mongolia border city of Ejin Banner, one of the regions hit the hardest in the latest coronavirus flare-up, issued an emergency notice on Monday asking all residents and tourists in the city to stay indoors to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further, as the city reported another 12 new confirmed cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 43.

Health experts noted that exchanges of people and goods at the China-Mongolia port in Ejin Banner are highly likely to be the source of this round of infections, as almost all domestically transmitted cases were from tour groups.

The notice came into effect immediately after its release on Monday, requiring residents and tourists in Ejin Banner to report any abnormalities during their indoor stay to relevant personnel in charge. 

Those who violate the rule and cause serious consequences will face severe punishments according to the law, the notice said, the China Central Television reported. 

According to the regional health authorities, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has registered 13 new local confirmed cases, 12 of which are from the Ejin Banner, mounting to a total of 62 in the region and 43 in the city. All of the cases are in designated hospitals for centralized treatment, and all close contacts have been put under quarantine for medical observation.

The sudden lockdown stranded nearly 10,000 tourists in a city with only 35,000 residents, Jimu News reported on Monday. While the city has announced on Thursday to offer free services of goods delivery to tourists including food, medicines, and epidemic prevention supplies, the region is still faced with a lack of daily necessities and medical supplies.

A 28-year-old traveler surnamed Tan came to Ejin Banner from Shanghai on October 17 and was asked to stay inside the youth hostel where she was staying. 

Tan told the Global Times on Monday that the local government is providing free lunches, instant noodles, sausages and protective masks every day for stranded tourists. They can tell the management staff what they need in a WeChat group created by the local government and management staff are trying to satisfy their needs.

Tourists stranded in the youth hostel are emotionally stable. They talk, play cards and watch movies together. However, not knowing when they can leave, some have started to worry about the high cost of living in the youth hostel. Many also haven't brought enough clothes as the weather gets colder, Tan added.

Alxa League, the region that administers the Ejin Banner, urgently dispatched two batches of materials including facial masks, medical protective clothing, disinfectant, and winter supplies on Wednesday. The local Red Cross has issued a notice on late Sunday night, calling upon social donations to the region. 

The latest COVID-19 resurgence, which has spread into 11 provinces in just one week, was triggered by a new imported source identified as being of the Delta variant, according to officials from China's top health authority on Sunday. 

Ejin Banner has come under the spotlight amid the latest resurgence that has spread into 11 provinces in just one week, as almost all the domestically transmitted cases were part of tour groups traveling to this county-level division in the region that borders Mongolia, the latest transmission chains showed.

While the source has not been specified, officials from China's top health authority confirmed that the latest outbreaks were triggered by a new imported source of the Delta variant. 

A Beijing-based immunologist, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Monday that exchanges of people and goods at the China-Mongolia port in Ejin Banner are highly likely to be the source of this round of infections.

"The outbreak is not likely to have been caused by cold-chain logistics as the port does not engage much in this kind of logistics. But as winter approaches, goods exchanges carry viruses in a cold-chain-like manner," he said, adding that the possibility of virus-carrying animals infecting humans cannot be ruled out. Further studies need to be carried out on the region's animals.

He further noted that Lanzhou, the capital city of Northwest China's Gansu Province, is likely to follow suit and implement a form of lockdown, as cases have surged recently in the city, which serves as a crucial transportation hub in Northwest China, an area where there tends to be greater risk of the virus spreading.  

On Monday, Lanzhou announced to halt all unnecessary public venues, the city authorities said. All public gatherings are suspended and the city is asking residents to not leave their homes unless it's needed. 

Gansu reported another four new confirmed patients on Sunday, including three in Lanzhou. The total local confirmed cases in the province have reached 45, of which 33 are from Lanzhou. 

A medical worker collects a swab sample at a nucleic acid testing site in Ejina Banner of Alxa League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct 2021.Photo:Xinhua

The China-Mongolia border city of Ejin Banner, one of the regions hit the hardest in the latest coronavirus flare-up, issued an emergency notice on Monday asking all residents and tourists in the city to stay indoors to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further, as the city reported another 12 new confirmed cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 43.

Health experts noted that exchanges of people and goods at the China-Mongolia port in Ejin Banner are highly likely to be the source of this round of infections, as almost all domestically transmitted cases were from tour groups.

The notice came into effect immediately after its release on Monday, requiring residents and tourists in Ejin Banner to report any abnormalities during their indoor stay to relevant personnel in charge. 

Those who violate the rule and cause serious consequences will face severe punishments according to the law, the notice said, the China Central Television reported. 

According to the regional health authorities, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has registered 13 new local confirmed cases, 12 of which are from the Ejin Banner, mounting to a total of 62 in the region and 43 in the city. All of the cases are in designated hospitals for centralized treatment, and all close contacts have been put under quarantine for medical observation.

The sudden lockdown stranded nearly 10,000 tourists in a city with only 35,000 residents, Jimu News reported on Monday. While the city has announced on Thursday to offer free services of goods delivery to tourists including food, medicines, and epidemic prevention supplies, the region is still faced with a lack of daily necessities and medical supplies.

A 28-year-old traveler surnamed Tan came to Ejin Banner from Shanghai on October 17 and was asked to stay inside the youth hostel where she was staying. 

Tan told the Global Times on Monday that the local government is providing free lunches, instant noodles, sausages and protective masks every day for stranded tourists. They can tell the management staff what they need in a WeChat group created by the local government and management staff are trying to satisfy their needs.

Tourists stranded in the youth hostel are emotionally stable. They talk, play cards and watch movies together. However, not knowing when they can leave, some have started to worry about the high cost of living in the youth hostel. Many also haven't brought enough clothes as the weather gets colder, Tan added.

Alxa League, the region that administers the Ejin Banner, urgently dispatched two batches of materials including facial masks, medical protective clothing, disinfectant, and winter supplies on Wednesday. The local Red Cross has issued a notice on late Sunday night, calling upon social donations to the region. 

The latest COVID-19 resurgence, which has spread into 11 provinces in just one week, was triggered by a new imported source identified as being of the Delta variant, according to officials from China's top health authority on Sunday. 

Ejin Banner has come under the spotlight amid the latest resurgence that has spread into 11 provinces in just one week, as almost all the domestically transmitted cases were part of tour groups traveling to this county-level division in the region that borders Mongolia, the latest transmission chains showed.

While the source has not been specified, officials from China's top health authority confirmed that the latest outbreaks were triggered by a new imported source of the Delta variant. 

A Beijing-based immunologist, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Monday that exchanges of people and goods at the China-Mongolia port in Ejin Banner are highly likely to be the source of this round of infections.

"The outbreak is not likely to have been caused by cold-chain logistics as the port does not engage much in this kind of logistics. But as winter approaches, goods exchanges carry viruses in a cold-chain-like manner," he said, adding that the possibility of virus-carrying animals infecting humans cannot be ruled out. Further studies need to be carried out on the region's animals.

He further noted that Lanzhou, the capital city of Northwest China's Gansu Province, is likely to follow suit and implement a form of lockdown, as cases have surged recently in the city, which serves as a crucial transportation hub in Northwest China, an area where there tends to be greater risk of the virus spreading.  

On Monday, Lanzhou announced to halt all unnecessary public venues, the city authorities said. All public gatherings are suspended and the city is asking residents to not leave their homes unless it's needed. 

Gansu reported another four new confirmed patients on Sunday, including three in Lanzhou. The total local confirmed cases in the province have reached 45, of which 33 are from Lanzhou.