• Military
• WMD
• Intelligence

• Security Menu                     

• Systems
• Industry
• Operations
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Space

Epidemic in Xinjiang's Urumqi 'overall controllable,' residents adapt to 'new normal'

Global Times

Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/18 11:02:46

Despite public concerns over Xinjiang's newly reported COVID-19 cases which led to the cancellation of nearly 90 percent of flights from Urumqi on Friday, local residents say they have adapted to the "new normal."

Local officials are advising people not to panic as the epidemic situation in the city is "overall controllable," local news site ts.cn reported on Saturday. All the confirmed COVID-19 cases and asymptomatic patients are under centralized medical observation, and the situation in Urumqi is "overall controllable," Rui Baoling, director of the disease control and prevention center in Urumqi said on Friday, adding that the center will guide the public to take preventive measures and timely disclose the epidemic situation.

The Global Times has learned that several residential communities were put under "sealed-off management" at midnight Thursday after newly reported cases of COVID-19 were discovered in the city.

A resident of one of the communities who asked not be named told the Global Times on Saturday that residents are free to move about within their residential community and must wear a mask, she said.

"Management of the residential communities have sent detailed information to each resident notifying to make preparations such as purchasing daily necessities," the resident said, noting that the wholesale market near her home had sufficient supplies.

She said residents can purchase goods within the community, and community workers will also make sure that elderly residents receive daily necessities at their homes.

Local authorities in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have launched an emergency response plan, and have fully carried out an epidemiological investigation to trace transmission paths to make sure no one is missed, reads a post on Xinjiang Fabu, the region's official government Sina Weibo account on Saturday.

"I don't feel panicked," she said, noting that her neighbors have experienced the epidemic months ago, and have adapted to the "new normal." The resident and her family are waiting to hear when they can take COVID-19 nucleic acid tests.

From 12 pm to 12 am on Friday, Xinjiang reported 11 new confirmed COVID-19 cases from Urumqi, who are under centralized medical observation, according to another post on Xinjiang Fabu on Saturday. As of Friday, 17 confirmed cases and 11 asymptomatic patients were confirmed in Urumqi, while 269 close contacts are under medical observation, according to the post.

A student surnamed Wang at Suzhou University didn't expect his graduation trip to Xinjiang would end with a rush to get back home due to the sudden spike in local COVID-19 cases. Wang told the Global Times on Saturday that he and his friends are waiting at the local train station after testing negative for the coronavirus. Wang also expressed his gratitude to the local police for their help.

Since Friday, Xinjiang has conducted intense screening to identify infected and asymptomatic people and their close contacts. Nearly 90 percent of Urumqi flights were cancelled on Friday after new COVID-19 cases were reported.

Food supplies are abundant and the price of products remains normal in Urumqi, according to media reports. Local authorities said they will strictly crack down those who raise commodity prices illegally.