China reports double-digit infection jump
CHINA yesterday reported the first case of coronavirus in over a month in Wuhan, and the first double-digit increase in countrywide cases in nearly 10 days, as the number of coronavirus cases worldwide topped 4 million.
A total of 14 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on Saturday, of which 12 were domestically transmitted cases, including 11 in the northeast Jilin Province, according to China’s National Health Commission.
The number of domestically transmitted cases was the highest since March 11.
The Jilin provincial health commission said the 11 patients were in Shulan, a county-level city in the province. Officials raised the risk level of the city of Shulan to high from medium, having hoisted it to medium from low just the day before after one woman tested positive on May 7.
The 11 new cases were members of her family or people who came into contact with her or family members. A total of 254 close contacts of COVID-19 patients in the province are now under medical observation.
Shulan has increased viruscontrol measures, including a lockdown of residential compounds, a ban on nonessential transportation and school closures, the Jilin government said.
A Chinese health official said yesterday effective personal protection measures should be maintained to guard against the novel coronavirus.
The cluster infection cases are a reminder that people should always stay alert and step up personal protection against the virus, said Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National
Health Commission, at a press conference.
Mi called on people to try to avoid social gatherings and to seek medical advice or testing in designated hospitals if they exhibit symptoms such as fever, cough or fatigue.
Apart from the cluster case in Jilin, Harbin, capital of the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, confirmed one new case. The 70-year-old patient had been quarantined in a hospital since April 9 and had tested negative seven times before results turned positive on May 9, the Heilongjiang health commission said yesterday.
Shenyang, capital of neighboring Liaoning Province, also confirmed yesterday one new case, a 23-year-old who traveled to Shenyang on May 5 from Jilin.
The new Wuhan case was an 89-year-old man who had not left his residential compound in Dongxihu District since the Lunar New Year in late January. His wife also tested positive, though she showed no symptoms, the Wuhan municipal health commission said.
The residential compound has had 20 confirmed cases, and experts say the new infection was mainly due to previous community infections. After the case was confirmed, medical officials have carried out nucleic acid tests on residents of the compound and found five asymptomatic infections.
The risk level of Dongxihu District was raised yesterday to medium from low. Other parts of the province will remain at low-level risk.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in China mainland reached 82,901 as of May 9, while the total death toll from the virus stood at 4,633, according to the National Health Commission.
(Agencies)