Covid: 19 cases in southeast China more than double as Delta spreads (updated)

China Putian Food Holding

14/09/2021 02:36

* 59 new local cases reported in Fujian province
    * Preliminary tests show Delta variant in some early cases
    * Outbreak spread south from Putian to Xiamen 
    * Travel restrictions imposed to limit spread

 (Adds comments from residents of Xiamen)
    BEIJING, Sept 14 (Reuters) - New local COVID-19 infections
more than doubled in China's southeastern province of Fujian,
health authorities said on Tuesday, prompting officials to
quickly roll out measures including travel restrictions to halt
the spread of the virus. 
    The National Health Commission said 59 new locally
transmitted cases were reported for Sept. 13, up from 22
infections a day earlier. All of them were in Fujian, a province
bordered by Zhejiang to the north and Guangdong to the south.
    In just four days, a total of 102 community infections have
been reported in three Fujian cities, including Xiamen, a
tourist and transport hub with a population of 5 million.  
    The infections come ahead of the week-long National Day
holiday starting on Oct. 1, a major tourist season. The last
domestic outbreak in late July to August disrupted travel,
hitting the tourism, hospitality and transportion sectors. 
    Fujian's outbreak began in Putian, a city of 3.2 million,
with the first case reported on Sept. 10. Preliminary tests on
samples from some Putian cases showed patients had contracted
the highly transmissible Delta variant. 
    The virus has since spread south to Xiamen, which reported
32 new cases of community transmission for Sept. 13 compared
with just one infection a day earlier. 
    "The Putian government is a big client of ours," said a
staff at a Xiamen building survey firm, declining to be named. 
    "About half of our company went to Putian last week. They
are now isolated at home, while the rest have gone to do their
Covid tests."
    
    LOCKDOWN
    Like Putian, Xiamen has locked down some areas of higher
virus risk, cut offline classes at kindergartens, primary
schools and high schools, closed public venues such as cinemas,
gyms and bars, and told residents not to leave the city for
non-essential reasons. 
    The first patient in the Xiamen cluster was a close contact
of a case in Putian, Xiamen authorities said late on Monday. 
    Known for its mild weather and a laid-back lifestyle, Xiamen
is a popular tourist destination domestically. 
    The Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is also a key
transportation hub linking the Yangtze and Pearl River Delta.
About 60% of flights to and from Xiamen were cancelled on
Tuesday, according to aviation data provider Variflight. 
    Both Putian and Xiamen began city-wide testing for the
coronavirus on Tuesday. The cities, however, are yet to announce
tough city-wide lockdowns as seen in early 2020 in China.
    Three new cases of community transmission were also reported
in nearby Quanzhou city, versus six infections a day earlier.
Variflight data showed 70% of Quanzhou's flights were cancelled.
    One district in Quanzhou, where many of the cases work in or
have visited Putian, has halted bus services, shut some public
venues, suspended dining at restaurants, and required residents
to avoid unnecessary trips out of the district.  
    "One wave after another," said a bank manager in Xiamen. "It
feels like the new normal now."

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China hit by new COVID-19 cases in southeast Fujian province   
https://tmsnrt.rs/3hrFBCy
FACTBOX-Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 225.16 million, death
toll at 4,813,463     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2AY3AS
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 (Reporting by Ryan Woo, Roxanne Liu, Kevin Huang, Stella Qiu,
Yan Shen and Liangping Gao; Editing by Stephen Coates and
Michael Perry)
 ((Ryan.Woo@thomsonreuters.com;))