A medical worker takes a swab sample from a child for nucleic acid test at a residential area in Ejina Banner of Alxa League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 20, 2021.Photo: Xinhua

Authorities in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region removed Chen Zhanyun, Party chief of Ejin Banner, a city bordering China and Mongolia, from his position on Tuesday for lax response to the latest COVID-19 flare-up.

Three cases of dereliction of duty in epidemic prevention work were reported by the government of Alxa League, which administered Ejin Banner, after a city in the region punished six officials for slack response in the last COVID-19 flare-up. 

Cao Xiaofeng, a deputy director of the local police bureau, failed to impose strict control on passing vehicles. Following an investigation, local authorities found that some vehicles have passed the checkpoints through destroyed roadblock, Cao, as an official in charge of the checkpoints, failed to identify the problems and take effective measures, which have increased the epidemic prevention pressure.

Local authority decided to remove Cao's position as the deputy director of the local police bureau. Another official, Cheng Ting, from the local civil affairs bureau, was summoned for talks by local discipline commission for failing to report quarantine situation of another local official, which led to epidemic prevention data mishandling. 

Trees of populus euphratica are seen in Ejin Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct 10, 2018.Photo: Xinhua

Those misconducts have posed a negative impact on the local epidemic prevention work in Ejin Banner, which has been recording double-digit increases in COVID-19 cases. 

The latest announcement of dereliction of duty came after Ejin Banner announced on Sunday harsh punishment on six officials including local health commission's heads for their slack response and ineffective management since the COVID-19 broke out on October 17.

Ejin Banner reported a total of 15 new cases on Monday, bringing the total infection numbers to 58, according to local health authority.

Ejin Banner is known to its populous euphratica forest, which has become a popular tourist destination, Pei Jianhong, head of Gansu Lanshen travel agency, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

The hot itinerary includes the populus euphratica forest visit in Ejin Banner and the populus euphratica forest in Jinta county of Jiuquan in Northwest China's Gansu, which was receiving 10,000 to 20,000 daily visitors before the COVID-19 epidemic during the peak tourism season, he noted. 

Chinese people are familiar with the spirit of Populus euphratic, commonly known as desert poplar. It's a magical species that can survive in extremely dry and cold areas. This encourages people to be determined when faced with obstacles.

When Chinese tech giant Huawei unveiled its flagship series, Huawei Mate 40 in 2020, the yellow color design of the product was inspired by populus euphratica as the firm has been struggling in light of the US crackdown.