A medical worker collects a swab sample from a student for nucleic acid testing at No. 9 middle school in Longyan, southeast China's Fujian Province, Sep 15, 2021.Photo:Xinhua

Senior official of Fujian Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Fujian CDC), East China, said the province has achieved phased progress in the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control.

"Putian, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou and other cities in Fujian Province have seen zero infection for several days in a row. The number of new cases in Xiamen has been kept within single digits, and the number of discharged patients is growing … It can be judged that the epidemic prevention and control in Fujian has obviously achieved phased progress," Zheng Kuicheng, the director of Fujian CDC, told media on Monday.

The social transmission of the epidemic has been basically blocked in Fujian, which is steadily returning to normal production and life order.

"The expert group's survey shows that social transmission of the epidemic has been basically blocked in Fujian, and the epidemic has been contained in some areas of the province, with hard-won results," Zheng said. 

Since the first local infection was confirmed, Fujian carried out screening work quickly in order to identify the source of the infection as soon as possible and take appropriate measures to block its spread.

Fujian reported two locally transmitted cases in Xiamen and zero asymptomatic ones on Monday, four people were released from quarantine on Sunday, and a total of 47 local cases have been cured and discharged from hospitals in the province. 

Fujian is steadily returning to normal working and life order. Faced with the current situation, Zheng said there may still be individual cases, but they will continue to consolidate achievements and work hard to prevent a rebound of the epidemic.

Since September 10, a total of 462 local confirmed cases have been reported in Fujian, including 415 hospitalized cases, with no death. There's only one asymptomatic patient who is still under isolation and medical observation.

29,759 close contacts have been discharged from medical observation, and 9,240 are still under medical observation as of Tuesday.

Global Times