Some residents shop in Shuimogou District of Urumqi in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on November 26, 2022. Photo: IC

Authorities in the COVID-hit Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, announced on Monday to step up resumption of normal life and production order with many livelihood-related functions including couriers and airlines to be resumed since epidemic situation in the city has been improving. 

With relentless efforts of the whole city, epidemic situation in Urumqi has seen a continuous improvement with high-risk areas keeping narrowing and the order of normal life in low-risk areas speeding up resumption, Sui Rong, director of the publicity department of the city government, announced during a press briefing on Monday. 

The city's epidemic prevention and control headquarter decided after analysis to resume the operation of local courier and logistics companies since Tuesday by placing the companies' workers under closed-loop management with their meals and accommodation arranged and nucleic acid testing taken to provide point-to-point delivery service for local residents in low-risk areas. 

Besides, a certain number of buses will operate within the district or county areas to transport local residents for shopping or other matters in low-risk areas without crossing the districts or counties, the local authorities said. 

Moreover, passenger flights arriving at and departing from Urumqi will gradually resume operation. Airlines between Urumqi and Beijing have already resumed operation. Other airlines between Urumqi and cities in other provinces including Changsha in Central China's Hunan Province, Sanya in South China's Hainan Province and Shijiazhuang in North China's Hebei Province have also resumed since Monday. More airlines between Urumqi and other domestic cities are expected to resume with the efforts of the local traffic and transportation authority. 

The local authorities also announced that employees whose residences and workplaces are both at low-risk can resume work if they can commute between home and workplace point-to-point in a closed-loop management after they report to their communities and they are assessed as no risk. 

According to local authorities, epidemic prevention work in Urumqi has basically achieved zero-COVID case at community level, but the risk of transmission still remains with COVID-19 cases being found in some high-risk areas and the achievements in epidemic prevention and control need to be further consolidated. 

At present, Xinjiang region has entered the season for local herdsmen to transfer their livestock to winter pasture. Local authorities in the region announced on Monday the progressing of local herdsmen's livestock transferring with some under severe weather conditions such as heavy snows and ensured the normal operation of husbandry and the safety of herdsmen in winter.

According to the authority in Altay Prefecture, a total of 614,500 livestock animals have been transferred and the transfer of the rest 240,000 animals is expected to be completed by December 20. 

At present, 4.95 million tons of feed and forage grass and another 75,087 tons for emergency use have been reserved in the area that can meet the needs of the livestock in the entire area for the winter. 

Besides, 2,010 people from 795 households in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture and 242,700 animals will be transferred to the neighboring Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture for the winter. 

Global Times