New confirmed COVID-19 cases in Urumqi linked to gathering, city in "wartime mode"

Health authorities in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region said the current COVID-19 outbreak in the region's capital city Urumqi is mainly related to a gathering and the city has entered "wartime mode" for epidemic prevention and control, stopped all kinds of gathering activities and adopted closed management of communities.

Urumqi will carry out free nucleic acid testing throughout the city, first covering key areas and key populations, including the close contacts and their communities, and gradually expanding the testing scope citywide, local health authorities told media on Saturday.

The confirmed cases and asymptomatic infections are all mild or moderate and under medical observation. Xinjiang has recorded a total of 17 confirmed cases and 23 asymptomatic patients as of Saturday.