Epidemic prevention staff conduct nucleic acid testing in a local community in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on October 8, 2022. Photo: VCG

The latest COVID-19 flare-up in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has yet to be fully contained due to difficulties faced in epidemic prevention and control during this current outbreak, and there is uncertainty over the possibility of more uncovered infections within the community, the local disease control and prevention authority announced during a press briefing on Saturday evening.

According to the director of the region's disease control and prevention center, complex rebounds and recurrences have characterized the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic.

The Omicron variant BA.5.2 that has caused the latest flare-up is highly infectious which spreads fast among local communities. The numbers of infections are rising rapidly again in several areas over the past few days mainly due to silent transmissions at the community level not being completely contained. A certain number of asymptomatic or silent transmissions are occurring before officials are able to identify new infections.

The classifications of high, medium and low-risk areas has not been sufficiently scientific or accurate in some localities and there have been weaknesses in prevention and control work at the community level.

Local authorities urged the public to not panic or spread rumors, while taking necessary personal precautions.

Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang reported six confirmed cases and 226 asymptomatic infections on Saturday.

The city has suspended all trains and passenger buses departing the city from October 4 to contain the spillover of cases to neighboring provinces. As of October 6, 86 tourists have been stranded at the Urumqi railway station. Among them, 36 were from other provinces, 42 were from other parts of Xinjiang and eight people were from Urumqi, local officials said during a press briefing on October 6.

Since 80 percent of the stranded individuals are migrant workers from other provinces, local officials are helping to identify suitable local employment, allowing these individuals to temporarily remain in the city until the epidemic situation is addressed.

Global Times