CHINA FOCUSES ON SCHOOLS AS IT TRIES TO STOP COVID OUTBREAK IN FUJIAN

BEIJING: China has shut down schools, put in place travel restrictions, and ordered nucleic acid tests for millions in the eastern province of Fujian as new Covid-19 infections more than doubled to 139 until Tuesday evening.

Termed as the first “schoolcentred” outbreak, nearly three dozen children have been infected in a sudden surge of infections, first detected in a school during random nucleic acid testing last week.

The fresh cases are concentrated in Putian, Quanzhou and provincial capital Xiamen, though reports say contacts of those infected have travelled to neighbouring provinces.

Around 20 cases involving children below 12 years old have been reported, the Global Times reported. Xiamen, a port city and popular tourist destination, is conducting nucleic acid testing for its 5 million citizens, health authorities said.

Colleges, primary and high schools, and vocational schools will have to move their courses online, while kindergartens have been told to suspend operations, the Xinhua news agency said in a report.

Xiamen residents have been advised not to leave the city unless necessary, and those who want to leave must present a green health code and provide a negative nucleic acid test result within 48 hours before departure.

TERMED AS THE FIRST “SCHOOLCENTRED” OUTBREAK, NEARLY 36 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN INFECTED IN A SUDDEN SURGE OF INFECTIONS, FIRST DETECTED IN A SCHOOL DURING RANDOM NUCLEIC ACID TESTING LAST WEEK