Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo

Some depositors of several rural banks in Central China's Henan found their health code turned red again starting Thursday, and local health commission said the situation was caused by a switch of [health code] systems.

A Henan Health Commission hot line operator told media they have noted information of relevant personnel and the error will be fixed soon.

As of press time, some depositors' health codes have returned green already.

The error received wide attention as it has a precedent from June. 

Some depositors of small rural banks, registered in Henan Province and reportedly caught in illegal fundraising, found their health codes turned red for unknown reasons when they tried to arrive in Henan to withdraw their money, prompting suspicions of abuse of the health code system in the province.

Later investigation by discipline authorities found officials of provincial capital Zhengzhou's epidemic prevention and control headquarters made the decision without authorization and asked a big data firm to conduct the change.

It was estimated that 1,317 clients with savings in the rural banks had their health codes changed and five officials were punished after the discipline inspection. 

The new error from Thursday prompted further debate on local management of the system which is at core of China's COVID prevention strategy. 

In June, the discipline inspection statement said those officials' act severely damaged the seriousness of the regulations governing the use of health codes, and left an extremely bad social influence.

Global Times-Agencies