Imported strain suspected in Manzhouli COVID- 19 cases
China’s largest land port – Manzhouli in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region – vowed to curb the latest COVID- 19 outbreak, as the city announced the virus strain of the initial infections was highly similar to that of Russia. A total of 11 cases have been confirmed so far.
The city reported nine more locally transmitted cases on Thursday, including two previous asymptomatic individuals who later became confirmed patients, the local health authorities said.
All have been put under quarantine and are being treated in designated hospitals. A total of 443 close contacts have been tracked down, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
After analyzing the genetic sequence of the two COVID- 19 patients first reported in Manzhouli, it was found that the virus strain belongs to the L genotype of the European branch, and shares a high similarity with the strain found in Russia, local health authorities said on Thursday.
The results suggest that the two cases were imported.
The regional disease control and prevention department will continue to trace the virus source of the latest outbreak and carry out genetic sequencing of all other confirmed cases.
The latest outbreak also shows the characteristics of a cluster infection, as the virus is believed to have spread among local families, communities, and a local high school, officials said.
All gatherings have been suspended, and the six communities where infection cases were found have been put under 24- hour closed- loop management.
Rail, air and road services from Manzhouli have been suspended, and medium- risk areas in the city have been put under strict traffic control.
Bus services are halted, but taxis remain in operation, the Global Times learned.
Bu Xiaolin, head of the Inner Mongolia regional government, arrived in Manzhouli on Tuesday for a two- day inspection of the local epidemic control and prevention.
She ordered all relevant departments to stay on high alert for the health monitoring of densely populated areas, supervision of imported cold- chain food, and closed- loop management of inbound travelers.