Covid-19 epidemic spreads, China conducts mass testing for 10 million people in Hainan

The Omicron BA.5.1.3 variant, which first emerged in China and was reported in the city of Sanya in the southern province of Hainan, is spreading rapidly. At least six counties and cities in the province have been placed on “static management” to cut off the chain of transmission that has now resulted in more than 1,400 positive cases reported in a week (August 1-7).

PCR testing in Haikou city, Hainan province on August 7. Photo: Chinanews

In addition to Sanya City, which is known as the “Hawaii of China,” where more than 80,000 tourists are still stranded, five other counties and cities, including Wanning, Qionghai, Danzhou, Lingshui, and Chengmai, have also announced “static management” from August 6, 7, and 8. Of these, Chengmai is the latest county to announce “regional static management” from 12:00 on August 8 (local time). This move means that local residents must stay at home and public transportation is suspended.

According to data released by the Hainan provincial health authority on the morning of August 8, the number of daily cases across the province increased to the highest level in the previous day, with 259 confirmed cases and 245 asymptomatic cases.

Mr. Ly Van Tu - Deputy Director of Hainan Provincial Health Committee, said at a press conference on August 7 that this outbreak has spread in the community and reached a certain scale:

“The spread of this outbreak in the community is relatively widespread, the epidemic has formed a certain scale and is still showing an increasing and expanding trend.”

The biggest challenge for Hainan in containing the spread of the virus is that the true scale of the outbreak remains unclear, according to Chinese health experts. Home to about 10.2 million people, Hainan decided to launch mass nucleic acid testing at the provincial level from August 7.

To support Hainan, 175 epidemiologists and health supervisors from seven provinces and about 5,000 testing staff from many localities in China have been sent here.

Previously, on August 6 and 7, speaking at meetings on epidemic prevention and control, Mr. Shen Xiaoming - Secretary of Hainan Provincial Party Committee emphasized the need for rapid responses to the epidemic, and at the same time, required the entire province to maintain a wartime state and fighting spirit, in order to soon win the fight against the epidemic./.