People in Chengdu, Sichuan Province take nucleic acid test on November 8 night. Photo: VCG

One confirmed COVID-19 patient in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, was found to have transmitted the virus to 13 other people who share space with the patient. Elevators and offices have great risk for viral transmission. 

The 37-year-old patient infected his wife, daughter, parents-in-law as well as four of his colleagues and five neighbors living in the same building. 

The man was firstly infected after dining with another confirmed case who returned Chengdu from another province. He became a confirmed patient on November 5. 

Authorities said at the press conference on Monday that some patients have no space intersection with the man but their living environment such as elevators and offices have great risk for viral transmission.

Some of the early cases were found to have very low cycle threshold (CT) value, an indicator of laboratory testing. The lower the number, the higher the patient's viral load and the greater the risk of transmission. "Therefore, experts team predicts there may be additional cases in the future," Tang Xuefeng, the deputy head of the provincial center for disease prevention and control, said.

The transmission chain of the local outbreak is clear, which means the local outbreak is within control but it is still complicated, Tang said. 

The accumulated confirmed cases in Chengdu have reached 23 as of press time. 

In order to timely cut off the viral transmission chain, Chengdu issued a yellow health QR code to people who are at risk of contracting COVID-19. 

Ten medium-risk regions were registered in Chengdu. 

Global Times