China's State Post Bureau urged related authorities and courier firms to tighten the management of epidemic control while ensuring a smooth transportation and delivery of anti-epidemic supplies, emergency medicines and basic necessities.

Multiple sporadic outbreaks caused by transmission among couriers occurred across the nation recently. The latest happened in North China's Shanxi Province where COVID-19 infections stemmed from couriers and have amounted to at least 70 as of Friday.

According to the epidemic prevention and control authorities in Shanxi's Taiyuan city, 11 confirmed cases and 59 asymptomatic infections originated from express delivery firm Yunda Express have been registered as of Friday. Between Friday afternoon and Saturday afternoon, in particular, eight confirmed cases and 38 asymptomatic infections were reported in Taiyuan, with 24 infections on supply chain logistics workers from Yunda in Qingxu county in the city.

Couriers and supply chain logistics workers who contracted the virus at work have been reported in other places like Hangzhou and Jinhua, in East China's Zhejiang Province, and Hohhot, in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The outbreak at a transit depot of SF Express in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on March 9 spilled over to other cities, including Jiaxing in Zhejiang and Zunyi in Southwest China's Guizhou Province.

The State Post Bureau has recently held two conferences to make arrangements for the work amid the epidemic.

During a conference on Thursday, head of the bureau, Ma Junsheng, requested to adhere to the dynamic zero-COVID policy and the strategy for preventing the coronavirus from re-entering the country.

While the epidemic prevention and control work still have to be consolidated, the smooth supply of anti-epidemic material, emergency medicines and basic necessities will be ensured.

During a conference on Saturday, Ma stressed that no effort will be spared in handling the case of Yunda Express and the bureau will continue to strengthen communication, coordination and guidance. The Shanxi post bureau will swiftly organize the tracking, testing and disinfection of COVID-related parcels. He urged relevant enterprises to cooperate in the investigation and control of the epidemic at the production and operation sites and their employees.

Meanwhile the headquarters of Yunda Express should take the main responsibility and implement epidemic prevention measures on the related parcels and personnel as required, Ma stressed.

Ma also made calls to learn a lesson from the two incidents in Taiyuan and Hangzhou and identify potential dangers, strengthen weak points, and make up for loopholes according to the requirements of epidemic prevention and control work.