Xinjiang COVID-19 outbreak expected to slow: Public health expert

Development of the latest COVID-19 outbreak in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is expected to slow down in coming days, a public health expert at the city's virus control and prevention conference said on Monday.

The region reported 17 locally-transmitted COVID-19 infections and nine asymptomatic cases for Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 47 and asymptomatic cases to 50 since the emergence of the outbreak on July 15.

Sixteen of the new cases were found in Urumqi, the region's capital, and one in southern Xinjiang's Kashgar prefecture, who was from the capital, according to the city's Disease Control and Prevention Center.

"Initial analysis shows that the newly-conformed cases among those under medical observation are expected to be on decline," said Rui Baoling, head of the city's Disease Control and Prevention Center, citing epidemiology findings, such as exposure time and that the majority of close contacts had developed symptoms.

According to Rui, early cases of the outbreak In Urumqi are all associated with a group gathering and all close contacts detected have been put under medical observation.

Since Saturday, Urumqi has launched a citywide, free nucleic acid testing, beginning with neighborhoods that have reported new cases and among close contacts or residents with a fever, to timely detect those affected. Meanwhile public health intervention, including stay-at-home suggestions, reduced availability of public transport and closed management of residential communities, has started.

Those visiting from outside the city are receiving services such as free food, a place to sleep and testing, said a notice issued by the city's epidemic response headquarters late Monday. Information support hotlines are set up as well.

All confirmed and asymptomatic patients in Urumqi were admitted to No. 6 People's Hospital, a designated city hospital specializing in contagious disease.

"Over 280 medical care workers are working around-the-clock in our hospital, and we have adopted a combination approach of Western and traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of patients in our hospital," said Song Yuxia, vice-president of the hospital, during the conference.

"We have started to cooperate with experts from the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council, and the diagnosis and treatment plan will be optimized under their guidance in the following days," Song added.

The Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council sent three expert groups in epidemic prevention, medical treatment and epidemiology investigation to Urumqi on Sunday to strengthen the city's medical forces against the virus and carry out comprehensive investigation of the outbreak.

Since the first case in the outbreak emerged in downtown Urumqi on Wednesday, the city has taken rapid action to track down close contacts and implemented lockdown measures, such as reducing public transportation, preventing public gatherings, and urging residents to stay at home to curb the spread of the virus.

"We have taken measures to ensure abundant supplies at stable prices for citizens who are staying at home, and all of the community workers to stick to their posts to help people in need," said Zhong Meiwen, deputy head of the city's Market Supervision Authority.

Zhong said 1,024 law enforcement personnel were dispatched to 11 farmers' markets, 282 malls, 750 restaurants, and 232 pharmacies across the city to supervise and inspect the quality, safety, and prices of the goods they are selling.