Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang see tallies rise as Beijing detects transmission chains

With growing COVID-19 infections reported in the Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions on the first workday after the seven-day National Day holiday, local authorities have continued to implement strict epidemic prevention and control measures as well as make all efforts to meet daily needs.

Inner Mongolia reported 207 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 424 asymptomatic cases on Saturday, according to the regional health commission.

Among them, 188 confirmed and 376 asymptomatic cases were detected in the regional capital Hohhot, bringing the current tally in the latest outbreak to 723 and 2,066, respectively.

"We are facing a severe and complex epidemic situation that requires the combined efforts of the whole city to fight," Liu Yuanjun, an official with the city's health commission said at a news conference Sunday. "The city conducted a new round of mass nucleic acid testing on Sunday."

More personnel and facilities have been allocated to take care of medical needs, according to Liu.

The local government also urged residents not to leave the city to avoid the spread of the virus to areas outside the region.

"Those who have to leave for special reasons should provide three negative nucleic acid test results taken within five days," said Guo Quanbin, an official with Hohhot's transportation bureau.

"Currently, all interprovincial and intercity road passenger services have been suspended and inbound and outbound flights and trains have been significantly reduced."

In the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, there is still a high risk of hidden transmission in communities, which could lead to a rebound, Erzat Zada, deputy director of the region's health commission said at a news conference on Saturday.