Guangzhou COVID-19 Update for Nov 22, 2022

On the afternoon of Nov 22, Guangzhou held a COVID-19 Prevention and Control Press Conference to brief the latest epidemic situation in the city.

On Nov 21, Guangzhou reported 8,210 locally acquired COVID-19 cases, among which 40 were found in communities. Haizhu district reported 7,832 new infections, most of which were still detected in high-risk areas in the Kangle-Lujiang Area of Fengyang Subdistrict, Datang Area of Nanzhou Subdistrict and Longtan Area of Huazhou Subdistrict. Baiyun district saw cluster outbreaks in multiple areas and complex overlapping of transmission chains. Several abnormal results were detected in the PCR testing in Taihe Town on Nov 21 and most of the infections lived in urban villages, indicating high risks of community transmission.

Zhang Yi, Deputy Director General and Spokesperson of the Guangzhou Health Commission, said that the local epidemic transmission chain of cluster outbreaks in the early stage has been basically blocked in most regions of Guangzhou.

Zhang pointed out that Guangzhou is facing uncertainties as its daily new infections plateaued recently with cluster outbreaks in multiple areas, and local as well as imported cases, posing a great challenge to containing the epidemic.

Zhang reminded residents that low-risk areas are not risk-free and residents shall continue to take proper personal precautions, avoid gathering and present 48-hour negative PCR test results to leave Guangzhou.

Zhang Zhoubin, Party Secretary of the Guangzhou Disease Prevention and Control Center Committee, pointed out that the current epidemic situation in Guangzhou is still challenging and complex. New infections in Haizhu district remain high with some fluctuations. Given a large number of infections in the early stage and the high population density, the number of new cases will stay at a relatively high level these days. Meantime, other districts saw consistent sporadic cases in multiple areas. New cases were found in several subdistricts in Baiyu district in the past two days, most of which were in densely populated urban villages and industrial parks, indicating a high risk of transmission.

We urge all residents to take epidemic prevention and control seriously and continue to take proper personal precautions, get PCR tests and avoid gathering. These routine and simple measures can most effectively curb the spread of COVID-19. "We should keep up the good efforts and stick together, and must not waste the hard-won results", Zhang Zhoubin reminded.

Yuan Xiaoyi, Deputy Head of Tianhe District, introduced that the travel history of some COVID-19 patients found in communities involved catering service providers and enclosed and semi-enclosed venues. Tianhe district is constantly faced with the risk of imported cases. Considering this situation, from 00:00 on Nov 21, the dine-in services in Tianhe district have been suspended, and all the enclosed and semi-enclosed venues have been temporarily closed, so as to reduce the risk of transmission caused by crowd gatherings.

Yuan reassured residents that at present, Tianhe district has a sufficient supply of daily necessities with stable prices, and the takeout and delivery services are well-organized. Yuan called for the residents to continue to support, understand and cooperate with the epidemic prevention and control work.

Zhang Yingzhi, Deputy Head of Zengcheng district, said that the recent epidemic situation in the district features cluster outbreaks in multiple areas. Guarding against imported cases is still the top priority of Zengcheng's epidemic prevention and control work. The latest case from outside Guangdong had previously been to many places in Zengcheng district, including urban villages, fair-price apartments, restaurants, supermarkets, and repair garages. New cases related to these places have been reported recently. On Nov 20, Zengcheng district issued a notice to strengthen the control measures of key sites, and suspend in-person teaching and dine-in services.

Zhang introduced that Zengcheng is speeding up to construct a makeshift hospital with 8,360 beds in Yongning Subdistrict. Now the hospital boasts 538 medical workers, which will be increased to about 1,200 as needed. In addition, a logistics service team of more than 1,000 people is responsible for the logistics, security, cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of the makeshift hospital.