Shenzhen Headquarters for Prevention and Control of Pneumonia Epidemic Caused by Novel Coronavirus officially issued a notice on Monday saying the opening date for primary and secondary schools in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, has been postponed to February 21. Schools were originally scheduled to start on February 14. All students are required to carry out self-health monitoring for 14 days before returning to school. A negative nucleic acid test result taken within 48 hours is also required.

Before coming or returning to Shenzhen, people are advised to present a negative nucleic acid test result taken within 48 hours, the statement said. For those without the test, a nucleic acid test shall be completed within 24 hours after arrival and will undergo self-health monitoring.

As of Monday, 16 cases have been reported in Shenzhen accumulatively since January 31 while no new local cases were reported. At present, Shenzhen has a total of five medium-risk areas, all in Baoan District.

The Shenzhen government information office held a press conference on Monday, noting that among the 16 accumulated cases in Shenzhen, except the first case found in the fever clinic, the other 15 cases were all found in close contacts and key populations that are now under control. No new cases have been detected since February 4.

According to the epidemiological investigation and genetic test results of the virus, it is preliminarily determined that this outbreak is a domestic one caused by an imported coronavirus, and there is a high possibility of infection caused by exposure to novel coronavirus contamination from overseas.

Global Times