Citizens in Jilin Province receive nucleic acid testing on March 9, 2022. Photo: VCG

To achieve the dynamic zero-COVID policy as soon as possible, Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin Province, will conduct a city-wide nucleic acid testing in two days from Wednesday to Thursday, and will continue to do three more rounds of nucleic acid testing to ensure that all hidden cases are discovered. 

As of Wednesday, Changchun had reported a total of 48 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city since March 8, all of whom were under observation in designated hospitals.

Zhang Xingguo, director of the Changchun Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the first case found in Changchun in the latest outbreak had a travel history in the affected area in Jilin City. The novel coronavirus genome sequencing results of 11 cases in Changchun showed that the viruses were all Omicron variant strains, which were highly homologous with the sequencing results of the virus in Jilin City, another city in Jilin Province, suggesting the same transmission chain.

Zhang also noted that some students in Changchun have also been infected. Judging from the overall situation, the epidemic situation in Changchun is still on the rise and the number of cases is expected to increase in a short time, Zhang added.

The Health Commission of Jilin Province held a press conference on Wednesday and reported that as of Tuesday, Jilin City had reported 161 local confirmed cases - including 160 mild cases - and 142 asymptomatic cases. All patients have been isolated and are being treated in designated hospitals, and their condition is stable.

At present, Jilin City has completed the genetic sequencing of the outbreak, and the result showed that the virus is the Omicron variant (BA.2 evolutionary branch). The BA.2 evolutionary branch is the variant that has recently become prevalent in the world.

Starting from Wednesday, Changchun will suspend inter-city buses and tourist charter bus services, local health commission announced on Wednesday. 

Global Times