China stresses vigilance needed in COVID-19 prevention during winter

File photo: Medical staff members check the temperature of people as they enter at Capital Airport in Beijing, China, November 5, 2020. /Reuters

Chinese officials on Thursday urged vigilance and warned against complacency in COVID-19 prevention and control as the country enters the winter season.

Li Bin, deputy head of the National Health Commission (NHC), told a press conference that there would be sporadic COVID-19 cases and potentially cluster outbreaks in the winter due to the increased risk of domestically-transmitted infections caused by cases from overseas.

He noted that winter is also a high-incidence season for other respiratory infectious diseases, thus China cannot relax its efforts in controlling the epidemic.

Li said the NHC will expedite improvements to coronavirus testing, and further carry out testing for key groups, including fever patients and those working with imported goods, to detect cases and send out early warnings.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui also stressed the importance of preventing overseas cases during the briefing.

China has reported over 3,600 COVID-19 infections from overseas as of Thursday, Luo said. Since October, the country has seen an average of 16.6 such cases per day, a 45 percent increase compared to the figure in September.

Some 260 cases from overseas were reported in the first 10 days of November, he added.

Luo said that China has to continue taking advantage of its system and experiences to resolutely win the battle in preventing overseas cases.

In the past week, domestic cases linked to food imports have emerged in the northern port city Tianjin, while an airport worker in Shanghai also contracted the virus.

Asked about establishing the so-called travel bubbles with countries less affected by the virus, Luo said more research is needed.

China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Singapore have agreed to open Asia's first travel bubble in late November.

Asked if China would receive and help treat patients from other countries, Luo said China could consider sending Chinese experts to those countries to lend their assistance.

He also warned Chinese citizens against outbound travel. "Our advice is do not go overseas," Luo said.

(With input from Reuters)