Shandong's Linyi city sees decline in infections

Linyi, Shandong province, has seen a decline in new COVID-19 cases, after a cluster of infections was reported recently among students.

The city, with a population of 11 million, had reported 26 confirmed and 262 asymptomatic cases as of Sunday, according to the provincial health commission.

Linyi reported the first infection in Lanshan district on Wednesday. Most of the infected people were reported in Lanling county, with about 60 percent of them students.

The city registered two confirmed cases and 54 asymptomatic ones on Monday, with all newly reported infections being from quarantined groups, after the city implemented strong virus containment measures.

The city started tracing infected people and their contacts immediately after the first infection was reported. All new cases were from quarantined people, and transmission chains within the COVID-19 cluster could be traced, local officials said at a news conference on Tuesday.

The spread of COVID-19 in the city has been minimized and has not spread to other cities, they said.

The final exam season and teachers monitoring exams contributed to the spread of the virus in the city recently. All infected students, teachers, close contacts and sub-close contacts have been quarantined, they said.

Shanghai reported 59 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Monday, five of which were confirmed cases, according to local health authorities. Three of the infections were found outside of quarantine and locked-down communities.

The residences of the three cases, including one hotel in Pudong, were locked down and marked as high-risk zones. Twenty other related venues were marked as medium-risk zones.

Vice-governors of the two districts said they have ensured the supply of daily necessities, medicines for the quarantined and made special arrangements for students who are taking high school entrance exams on Monday and Tuesday.

The city has launched joint inspections on companies in the cultural and entertainment industry to make sure they comply with epidemic prevention protocols.

Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, reported seven local COVID-19 infection cases in the 24 hours to Tuesday noon. They are linked to two previously found transmission chains, Chen Bin, deputy director of the health commission of the city, said at a news conference on Tuesday.

Guangzhou has reported 18 local infection cases since July 8.

In Zhuhai, Guangdong, teaching and off-campus teaching services in schools at all levels were suspended on Tuesday, as the city intensified its efforts against COVID-19 infections.

The suspension came after a 24-year-old female kindergarten teacher living in the city's Xiangzhou district tested positive on Monday.

According to a statement issued by the local health authority on Tuesday, all gatherings, including largescale training classes in Zhuhai, have been suspended.

Guangdong reported 22 new local confirmed cases on Monday, with 20 more local asymptomatic infections, the provincial health commission said.

Li Wenfang and Xing Yi contributed to this story.