CHINA / SOCIETY
Port city of Tianjin responds to cold-chain related outbreak in time to prevent virus from spreading
Published: May 17, 2022 12:41 AM
Residents in Tianjin take nucleic acid tests on May 15, 2022. Photo: VCG
Residents in the port city Tianjin take nucleic acid tests on May 15, 2022. Photo: VCG

The latest COVID-19 outbreak in North China's Tianjin, a port city neighboring the capital, was linked to contaminated imported cold-chain food, the local authorities announced at a press conference on Monday.

The port city reported six confirmed cases and 18 asymptomatic infections as of Monday afternoon, while the latest outbreak in Tianjin recorded a total of 28 infections of the Omicron variant. All infected patients have been transferred to designated hospitals for treatment, local officials noted.

Local health authorities carried out an emergency response immediately after the outbreak. A total of 105 close contacts, 154 secondary contacts, and 62 other persons at risk have been traced, and all of them were put under quarantine.

Besides, 488 items and environmental samples were collected from relevant places, and 23 positive samples were found in the living and working environment of confirmed cases.

Among them, the positive sample of the outer packaging and facilities at an imported cold-chain food storage in the city's Dongli district have been initially considered to be directly related to the latest outbreak.

The latest wave of the virus in Tianjin is in the stage of development. However, with the implementation of active screening and the timely detection of the potential infections, the risk of the epidemic is generally under control, local health authorities said on Monday.

The city's Dongli and Beichen districts will carry out nucleic acid testing for all residents from May 16 to 18. Primary and secondary schools and kindergartens will pivot to online teaching during this period, and residents are advised not to leave the region unless necessary until the situation is under control, read the statement from the municipal government.

Global Times