30 buses are seen at Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology University in Northeast China's Jilin Province to transfer students following a cluster infection detected in the campus on March 10, 2022. Photo: Screenshot of CCTV News

The secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) committee at a university was sacked on Thursday after an outbreak of COVID-19 was detected in the campus. This has shocked Chinese social media and aroused a heated discussion.

The local health commission confirmed a total of 134 cases and 149 asymptomatic carriers in Jilin city in Northeast China's Jilin Province on Wednesday. A cluster infection was detected at the Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology University with a number of confirmed cases, China Central Television announced.

According to the local government, Zhang Lifeng, secretary of the university's CPC committee was removed from position on Thursday for negligence and ineffective response.

Media reported that 30 buses gathered outside the campus on Thursday to transfer those students that are close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases to another facility. Aerial photos showed that the buses entered the campus after disinfection and students gathered on the sports ground with their luggage to get on the buses in batches. Both students and drivers wore protective suits.

The cluster infection at the university has become a hot topic on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo with more than 1.88 billion views and comments as of Thursday evening.

"Thank goodness! The students can be taken to proper places to prevent further infections!" said one netizen. "Not just the school's Party secretary, all officials involved should be held accountable for their bureaucratism !" commented another.

The topic has been on the spotlight  partly because of the weak and ineffective response of the university's officials.

Before the transfer of the students, some netizens posted on social media calling for help. They said that they are students from Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology University and the school lacked transparent and effective management procedures after positive cases were registered in the campus.

The National Health Commission has reported 402 locally transmitted cases and 435 asymptomatic carriers on Wednesday, while Jilin Province registered 165 cases and 179 asymptomatic carriers.