Nearly 5,000 residents of a community in Beijing's Chaoyang district are transferred to 57 hotels for a seven-day quarantine as 26 confirmed COVID19 cases have been discovered in eight building blocks of the community recently. Photo: Beijing Daily

Some 5,000 residents in a community in Beijing's Chaoyang district were being transferred for seven-day centralized quarantine on Saturday after 26 confirmed COVID-19 cases were detected in eight buildings since the compound has been locked down On May 12. 

According to the Beijing Daily, the transfer of the Nanxinyuan community started on Friday and a number of residents have been settled down in 57 hotels so far. Groups with special needs were accompanied with their family. 

Guo Xianghui, head of the medical support team of the community's epidemic prevention and control office, told media that "the virus is spreading fast and concealed. According to the policy, the lockdown period of the community will be recalculated and extended after every new case was reported."

Therefore, in order to allow residents to return to normal life as soon as possible, disease control experts decided to transfer all the residents for centralized quarantine for seven days.

"The task is very tough. A total of 4,979 residents needed to be transferred. 210 staff from seven teams have stationed in the community to communicate with them from door to door. We would like to thank the residents of the community for their understanding and support. So far, more than 4,300 people have arrived at hotels and the work is going smoothly," Wang Wu, another official responsible for the epidemic prevention and control work, told media.

Nearly 5,000 residents of a community in Beijing's Chaoyang district are transferred to 57 hotels for a seven-day quarantine as 26 confirmed COVID19 cases have been discovered in eight building blocks of the community recently. Photo: Beijing Daily

According to Wang, the teams will check if the water, electricity and heat in the home are safe, and which family has special medical needs. For families with pets, they will arrange them to professional institutions to foster them free of charge. 

In order to maximize the safety and comfort of residents during transfer, Wang said they have dispatched buses of 50 seats and 40 seats and also provided residents with face screen, N95 masks and other basic protective materials. The elderly and patients were transferred by ambulance. 

More than 4,000 rooms in 57 hotels, equipped with professional medical teams and staff, have been used to provide basic living and medical security for the residents. At the same time, special groups such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, are accompanied with their family. 

Nearly 5,000 residents of a community in Beijing's Chaoyang district are transferred to 57 hotels for a seven-day quarantine as 26 confirmed COVID19 cases have been discovered in eight building blocks of the community recently. Photo: Beijing Daily

After the residents are transferred to the centralized quarantine hotels, only the households with positive cases as well as the public areas of the community will be sterilized. Excessive disinfection will be avoided, Wu said.

Beijing on Saturday further beefed up its restrictions across five districts by suspending shopping malls, indoor entertainment facilities and scenic spots as the domestically-transmitted COVID-19 situation remains uncertain.

Nearly 5,000 residents of a community in Beijing's Chaoyang district are transferred to 57 hotels for a seven-day quarantine as 26 confirmed COVID19 cases have been discovered in eight building blocks of the community recently. Photo: Beijing Daily

Starting from this weekend, residents in Haidian district are suggested to work from home, while residents in four other districts - Chaoyang, Fengtai, Shunyi, Fangshan -are also suggested to work from home until May 28. 

The capital reported 63 new cases from 3 pm Friday to 3 pm Saturday, of which seven were detected in communities.

Global Times