111 new cases confirmed in Urumqi

A vendor weighs mutton on an electronic scale at a community in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Thursday. The city government increased the supply of meat recently to stabilize prices amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. ZHAO GE/XINHUA 

Autonomous region's govt intensifies measures to contain spread of virus

The city of Urumqi in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region registered 111 newly confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the biggest daily increase since the recent outbreak on July 15.

Another confirmed COVID-19 case was reported in Changji Hui autonomous prefecture, Xinjiang, on Thursday, and another 11 cases were reported in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, bringing to 123 the daily increase of domestically transmitted cases on the Chinese mainland, data from the National Health Commission showed on Friday.

Among the 111 new cases in Urumqi, 29 locally transmitted infections were confirmed from previous asymptomatic carriers, and no new asymptomatic infections were found on Thursday, according to data released on Friday by the city's health commission.

As of Thursday, there had been 520 confirmed cases and 106 asymptomatic carriers in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang.

Shang Yulan, deputy secretary-general of the city government, said three COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals on Thursday, bringing the total number of cured in the latest outbreak to nine.

Patients who have been discharged will also receive medical observation for no less than 14 days, Shang said at a virus control and prevention conference on Friday.

The government of Urumqi has responded rapidly and carried out strict management in the communities amid intensified measures to curb the spread of the virus.

Efforts have been made by the government to ensure the smooth and orderly supply of daily needs for those who have to stay at home during the outbreak, and volunteers in the city are ensuring that supplies can be delivered to every household in need.

Li Xia, a 52-year-old living in a residential community of the city's Shuimogou district, said it was pretty hard for the community workers to respond to different needs at the beginning of the outbreak, but as more people volunteered to help, things started to go smoothly.

"The residents in our community did not panic since we had a similar experience during the outbreak back in February, and now we can get good help from volunteers with direct communication channels," said Li.

In Dalian, the city has increased screening for people who have had close contact with anyone infected with the coronavirus to contain its spread, Zhao Lian, deputy director of the city's health commission, said on Friday.

In addition to seeking the close contacts of people suspected or confirmed to have the infection, asymptomatic contacts will also be identified. And then the close contacts of these close contacts will be quarantined for 14 days for medical observation, said Zhao, adding that people will be tested three times.

Dalian has initiated large-scale free nucleic acid tests since Sunday, and as of Thursday, more than 3.89 million samples were tested.