A380 aircraft of China Southern Airlines at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Photo:VCG

Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong Province launched mass nucleic acid testing in three districts on Thursday after discovering three confirmed cases and a silent virus carrier at the Baiyun International Airport on the same day.

The four cases were discovered during routine every-two-day nucleic acid testing at the airport. Three of them work at the airport and the other one is a family member of one of three, Guangzhou officials revealed at a press conference on Thursday, noting that they all received negative results during routine tests conducted on Wednesday. 

There were also other 11 preliminary positive COVID-19 patient cases, the officials said.

Guangzhou initiated an emergency response right after the discovery of the cases, according to the officials.

From 0 am to 12 am on Thursday, more than 1.4 million samples had been collected in the districts of Baiyun, Huadu and Yuexiu. 

On Wednesday night, the Baiyun airport collected environment samples and disinfected Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. 

Some flights scheduled at the airport had been adjusted since Thursday and Terminal 2 had been closed on Thursday morning.

Since 2:30 pm, Terminal 2 had been reopened and domestic flights have been gradually restored.

International flights were not affected, an airport official said at the Thursday press conference.     

Global Times