3 officials punished in Hebei for negligence in COVID-19 prevention

Three officials in Gaocheng district in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, have been punished for negligence in COVID-19 intervention, the city's top anti-corruption authority said Wednesday night.

They failed to prevent further transmission of the novel coronavirus after a resident tested positive.

The district was designated as a high-risk area for virus infection on Wednesday after it reported locally transmitted cases for four consecutive days.

Feng Zhiqiang, deputy director of Gaocheng district, was given a disciplinary warning for lack of oversight on arranging and supervising the COVID-19 prevention and control work.

Feng was held responsible as a leader after a Liujiazuo villager went out to see a doctor after testing positive on Jan 3.

Nie Xiaonan, an official in charge of managing the Liujiazuo village, was issued a severe disciplinary warning for failing to impose the village's closed-management system. Nie had a direct responsibility, it said.

Sun Guohui, Party secretary of Liujiazuo village, was also given a severe disciplinary warning for not taking measures in time and for not knowing movements of some villagers who went out after the outbreak. Sun was held directly responsibility for that.