Omicron has leaped into a country with lawsuits. Cang Ying, Deputy Director of the Tiencı Center for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that the Omicron variant, also known as the “BA.1 mutation” of Kovid-19, was found in the samples taken from 2 of the locally sourced cases detected in the city yesterday.
Stating that 18 new infections carrying the Omicron variant were found in at least 3 spreading chains associated with the cases detected yesterday, Cang noted that they estimated that the variant had already started to spread in the community.
Local media reports stated that 15 of the 18 infected people were primary school students attending the same school and study centre. It is unknown whether the cases show signs of illness.
Chinese health authorities do not include cases that do not show signs of illness, although the Kovid-19 test is positive, and classifies them separately as “asymptomatic cases”.
MASS TESTING WILL BE APPLIED IN THE WHOLE CITY
Due to locally sourced cases, mass tests will begin to be implemented as of 07:00 today in the city with a population of approximately 13.8 million. The green code on the health barcodes of the citizens was changed to orange until the negative test result. The absence of the green code will prevent citizens from accessing the subway, public buildings, shopping malls, and some restaurants and supermarkets.
Subway stations around Jinnan and Nankai, where the cases were seen, were temporarily closed for service.
Tiencin Exam Center announced that the teacher proficiency exam interviews scheduled for today have been cancelled.
Tienjin, one of the 5 largest cities in China with independent local government at the provincial level, is approximately 100 kilometers from the capital Beijing, which is preparing to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in February.
If more cases are detected, a quarantine will be declared in the city.
The center of Shaanshi province in China, the city of Xian with a population of 13 million has been under quarantine since December 23.
China is implementing a “zero case” strategy that aims to suppress Covid-19 cases where they arise and cut the chain of transmission. This strategy calls for strict and large-scale measures such as quarantine, travel restrictions and mass testing. The intervention of the measures in the ordinary flow of life and the costs they create cause discussions from time to time.
165 CASES IN 24 HOURS
According to the statement made by the National Health Commission, 165 new Kovid-19 cases, 92 of which were domestic origin, were detected in the mainland of China in 24 hours.
While 73 cases originating from abroad were recorded in the last 24 hours, there was no loss of life due to the virus.
In the mainland of China, where the first cases emerged in the Kovid-19 epidemic, 103 thousand 619 cases have been detected so far, 4 thousand 636 people have died, and 3 thousand 392 patients continue to be treated.