China races to test 4.75 mafter finding new cluster of virus

137 new infections after 17- year- old factory worker tests positive in Xinjiang

Chinese officials were racing yesterday to smother a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the country’s far northwest after 137 new infections were discovered.

Mass testing began Saturday evening to cover 4.75 million residents in and around Kashgar, Xinjiang province, after a 17- year- old garment factory worker tested positive for the virus. China — where the coronavirus first emerged late last year — has largely brought domestic transmission under control through lockdowns, travel restrictions and testing, but sporadic regional outbreaks have emerged.

Beijing has lauded its rapid testing capabilities, with the Communist Party eager to project an image of victory over the virus as much of the world struggles with lockdowns and mass outbreaks. The new cases — all asymptomatic — were linked to a factory in Shufu county where the girl and her parents worked, the Xinjiang health commission told a press briefing.

Cultural heart of Uighurs

A special team from Beijing’s National Health Commission was sent to investigate the source of the outbreak and assist with preventive measures, broadcaster CCTV said.

As of yesterday more than 2.8 million samples had been collected in the area and the rest would be completed within two days, the city government said in a statement.

Kashgar — near the country’s borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan — is the cultural heart of ethnic Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims, many of whom complain of longrunning political and religious oppression, which the Chinese government denies.

All schools in Kashgar have been closed until October 30 and anyone leaving the city now needs to show a negative nucleic acid test, the city government said.