Xinhua Headline: Beijing tames new COVID-19 infections in less than a month-Xinhua

-Beijing effectively controlled the recent outbreak of COVID-19 infections associated with major wholesale markets, as no new confirmed cases were reported for eight consecutive days on Monday.

-Thanks to timely and effective epidemiologic investigations, Xinfadi was targeted as a high risk location within 22 hours of a new outbreak.

-Beijing deployed a targeted blockade, rather than trapping everyone in a house at risk of reversing the profits gained after resuming work.

-In Beijing, which is about half the population of the capital, more than 11 million people underwent nucleic acid testing from June 11 to July 6.

Xinhua writers Cheng Lu, Qiang Lijing, Luo Xin, Xie Hao

Beijing, July 14 (Xinhua)-Beijing effectively reports on recent outbreaks of COVID-19 infections associated with major wholesale markets as it reported no new confirmed cases for eight consecutive days on Monday. I suppressed it.

From June 11th to Monday, the Chinese capital confirmed 335 domestic cases of infection, 205 of whom were hospitalized and 130 were discharged from Beijing Ditang Hospital after recovery.

After the city’s epidemic of COVID-19 has revived and is primarily associated with the large Xinfadi produce market in the Fenthai region, the city government has adopted rapid and targeted measures to control the spread of the virus Did.

On June 16, 2020, a nurse treats a COVID-19 patient in an isolated ward at Beijing Ditang Hospital in Beijing, China. (Xinhua/Peng Shiyang)

Here’s how Beijing can control new infections in less than a month.

Timely epidemiological investigation

Beijing reported a newly confirmed locally-transmitted COVID-19 case on June 11 after there were no such cases on the 57th day in the city.

An epidemiological investigation was conducted immediately and 38 close contacts were followed. All locations that the patient may have visited and may have been exposed to the virus have been identified, including Xinfadi.

On June 12, environmental samples were Xinfadi positive for the new coronavirus. At the same time, more epidemiological investigations were conducted as several newly confirmed cases were reported.

To control new infections, city and district-level disease control and prevention centers can organize more than 500 epidemiological investigators to dispatch new investigations immediately when new cases are reported.

“Usually there are three in the group, two go to the quarantine area and a third is in charge of support and disinfection,” said 33-year-old epidemiological investigator Li Ruoxi. He explained that he stayed in touch with the patient and his family about the patient’s recent activity and contact history for 14 days prior to admission.

On July 7, 2020, men at high risk of exposure to the Xinfadi market receive hand sanitizers after being quarantined at a designated facility in Beijing, the capital of China. (Xinhua/Peng Shiyang)

Xinfadi was targeted as a high-risk location within 22 hours of a new outbreak, thanks to a timely and effective epidemiological study. Beijing immediately suspended the market, closed nearby residential areas, and made intensive medical observations of Sinfadi traders.

Target lockdown

To address the locally-bound rebound of the COVID-19 incident, Beijing has targeted lockdowns instead of keeping everyone at home at risk of reversing the profits made after resuming work at home. Expanded.

Precise control measures were taken by designating districts, towns as low-risk, medium-risk, or high-risk areas, depending on the epidemic situation.

In this way, the impact on the lives of people in low risk areas is minimized. A health QR code, which is a digital travel record, allows delivery personnel and other service providers to enter residential areas and allows residents to access certain public facilities and travel freely around the city. Conversely, some key areas of medium and high risk areas, apartment blocks and residential areas were placed under closed control.

To prevent the spread of the virus, the city has tightened control of the flow of personnel to other locations.

For example, people in the medium- and high-risk areas and those involved in the Simfadi market were unable to leave Beijing. Previously, a negative nucleic acid test certificate issued within the last 7 days was also mandatory for anyone planning to leave the city. Since July 4, people in low-risk areas of Beijing no longer need certificates as the epidemic situation has improved.

On June 21, 2020, community workers will disinfect designated areas for shipping packages in a residential community in Kujing Town, Daxing District, Beijing, the capital of China. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Beijing’s only high-risk area, Hua Xiang Township in Fengtai District, has been downgraded to a medium-risk area due to fewer than 10 confirmed cases confirmed for 14 consecutive days, said Liu Xiaofeng, Deputy Director General of Beijing. Told. Center for Disease Control and Prevention at a news conference on Monday.

After adjustment, Beijing has cleared areas at high risk of the disease, according to Liu, and now has seven areas of medium risk.

Mass test

To curb the spread of the disease, Beijing has launched a city-wide campaign since May 30 to track people visiting the Xinfadi market through door-to-door inquiries, phone calls, and social media platforms. It has been confirmed that people working in the relevant produce markets, residents of nearby communities, and visitors to the facility are tested for nucleic acids.

The city also prioritized testing people living in medium and high risk areas, medical and frontline staff, bank employees, grocery stores, restaurants, courier, food delivery platforms and beauty salons. ..

In Beijing, which is about half the population of the capital, more than 11 million people were tested for nucleic acids from June 11 to July 6, according to local governments.

The photos taken on June 22, 2020 show the COVID-19 nucleic acid test lab “Huoyan” or Fire Eye with an inflated structure in the Daxing District of Beijing, the capital of China. (Xinhua/Peng Shiyang)

To meet the exploding demand for testing, Beijing expanded the number of nucleic acid testing facilities from 98 in early June to 184 as of July 7.

Three COVID-19 nucleic acid test labs, named “Huoyan” or Fire Eye, have performed over 1.2 million tests in Beijing in about three weeks. Two of them are mobile inflatable labs.

As of July 11, two inflatable labs have been dismantled. “After the lab’s removal, experts carefully disinfect the environment and the site can be used for other purposes,” said Xiang Fei of BGI Genomics, one of the lab’s developers.

Wuhu Feng, a medical researcher at the People’s University, said Beijing could take one month by taking comprehensive measures such as raising the level of response, conducting group medical observations of close contact, and conducting group medical examinations. He said he contained the virus within.

Although the prevention and control of infectious diseases in Beijing has made tremendous progress, the new coronavirus can cause complex and diverse symptoms, and it is highly contagious that Panshin Huo, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing, is highly contagious. Says.

“People should not be wary, they should continue to protect themselves from getting the virus, and regularly clean and sanitize their living and working environment,” she said.

(Xinhua reporters Wei Meng, Xia Katsura, Dai Shigung, and Lee Laiho contributed to this article. Video reporters: Meng Jing, Chen Zhong Hao, Li Tak Xin, Xia Shilin, Wangfujing, Daxingu, Tian Chen, Ma Xiao Dong, video editor. Person: Zhu Kong)■