Residents in Dongguan, South China's Guangdong Province queue up for nucleic acid testing on a plaza on March 11, 2022. Photo: VCG

A total of six officials from Dongguan, South China's Guangdong Province were removed from their positions on Sunday for the defects and loopholes in daily epidemic prevention tasks at key venues in the city, especially their poor performance of duties which caused cluster infections of COVID-19 in Dalang township in late February. 

Huang Shouying, deputy director of Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department, Wang Changqing, executive vice mayor of Dongguan and Bi Hongbo, director of the Public Security Bureau of Dongguan were removed from their positions. 

Three other officials from Dalang township and Dongguan city were also removed from their posts. 

Further investigations into the accountability of the aforementioned people and other responsible personnel are being carried out simultaneously. 

The CPC Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and the government have vowed to resolutely implement the decisions and plans of the Central Committee, and make epidemic prevention and control a major political task, continuing to put people's lives first and resolutely protect the safety and health of the people. 

Some Party members and government officials who fail to perform their duties or are derelict in their duties will be held accountable in accordance with laws, regulations and disciplines, officials said. 

The recent flare-up in Dalang township starting on February 24 was caused by the Omicron variant and was spread inside a densely populated industrial zone, where people frequently contact. Multiple infections were spotted in a short period of time after the first case was reported. 

Global Times