Shenyang acts decisively to prevent COVID-19 epidemic spread

Shenyang, the capital city of Northeast China's Liaoning province, has acted swiftly and decisively after reporting three new confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to officials from the local health authority.

The local government said that the city has quarantined more than 7,500 people, who all received nucleic acid tests. In addition, return to the classroom of grades 7, 8, 10, 11 -- as well as some secondary vocational school students -- has been postponed due to the epidemic.

Fever clinics and patients with fever are under the strict management of the city's medical institutions. All patients with a fever are now required to receive a nucleic acid test.

Government officials announced on May 14 that the city of Shenyang now have 10 medical institutions qualified for offering nucleic acid test services, with a daily capability of 17,000 tests.

Up until 8 am on May 14, the city had tested 190,000 people, the officials added.

They said the laboratory at the Shenyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention is currently running 24 hours a day for nucleic acid tests, shortening the detection process to 3-3.5 hours from previous 6-8 hours.

In addition, to improve their capabilities for nucleic acid tests, the Health Commission of Shenyang is promoting the construction of special test labs in counties and more medical institutions, the local government announced.