COVID-19 Infection Cases In Southeast China Doubled Due To Delta Variant

Illustration of COVID-19 in China. (Wikimedia Commons/Walter Grassroot)

JAKARTA - New local COVID-19 infection cases have more than doubled in southeast China's Fujian Province, according to local authorities, prompting anticipatory measures, including travel restrictions to stop the virus from spreading, Tuesday.

The National Health Commission said 59 new locally transmitted cases were reported on Sept. 13, up from 22 infections the day before. All of them are located in Fujian, a province bordering Zhejiang to the north and Guangdong to the south.

In just four days, a total of 102 community infections have been reported in three Fujian cities, including Xiamen, a tourism and transportation hub with a population of 5 million.

The infections come ahead of China's week-long National Day holiday that begins on October 1, the main tourist season. The last domestic outbreak in late July to August disrupted travel, hitting the tourism, hospitality and transport sectors.

The Fujian outbreak began in Putian, a city of 3.2 million, with the first cases reported on September 10. Initial tests on samples from some of Putian's cases showed the patient had contracted the highly contagious Delta variant.

The virus has spread south to Xiamen, which reported 32 new cases of community transmission for Sept. 13 compared with just one infection the day before.

"Putian's government is our big client," said a staffer at a building survey firm Xiamen, who declined to be named.

"About half of our company went to Putian last week. They are now isolated at home, while the rest went to do COVID tests," the staff continued.

Like Putian, Xiamen has locked down some areas with a higher risk of the virus, cut offline classes in kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, closed public places such as cinemas, gyms and bars, and told residents not to leave. city for unimportant reasons.

The first patient in the Xiamen cluster was a close contact of a case of COVID-19 infection in Putian, Xiamen authorities said late Monday.

Known for its mild weather and laid-back lifestyle, Xiamen is a popular tourist destination domestically.

Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport is also a major transportation hub connecting the Yangtze and Pearl River Deltas. About 60 percent of flights to and from Xiamen were canceled on Tuesday, according to flight data provider Variflight.

Both Putian and Xiamen began city-wide coronavirus testing on Tuesday. However, the cities have yet to announce the harsh citywide lockdowns seen in early 2020 in China.

Meanwhile, three new cases of community transmission were also reported in the nearby city of Quanzhou, compared to six infections the day before. Variflight data shows 70 percent of Quanzhou flights are cancelled.

One district in Quanzhou, has stopped bus services, closed several public places, suspended eating at restaurants and required residents to avoid unnecessary travel outside the district, avoiding the spread of the coronavirus.