Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

STARTING yesterday, all passengers leaving Guangdong Province via Shenzhen’s public transportation are required to present their green health codes and negative nucleic acid test results issued within 48 hours of departure, according to the Shenzhen Municipal Transport Bureau.

Public transportation includes Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, all railway stations, bus stations and ferry terminals in the city.

Meanwhile, since 1 p.m. Saturday, all personnel entering the airport must provide the negative nucleic acid test result issued within 48 hours. Arriving passengers are required to show their “粤康码” (Yuekangma) health code, according to the airport.

Shenzhen reported two local confirmed COVID-19 cases Friday. Their travel histories were revealed in a press conference held by the Information Office of the Shenzhen Municipal Government at the Civic Center in Futian District on Saturday.

Genetic sequencing in the new confirmed cases shows that they have the Delta variant of COVID-19.

The 19 imported cases recently found on an international flight from South Africa to Shenzhen and a confirmed local case reported June 14 are also linked to the variant, according to the news conference.

Vice Mayor Tao Yongxin said Shenzhen has acted swiftly in carrying out epidemiological investigation and massive nucleic acid testing and implementing classified management and control measures on related personnel and areas.

“At present, the pandemic is in a generally controllable state and the risk of large-scale spread is low,” said Tao.

The two latest confirmed cases are a 35-year-old man surnamed Xiao and a 21-year-old woman surnamed Zhu. They are currently receiving treatment at Shenzhen No. 3 People’s Hospital and in stable condition.

Xiao works for a company in Block A of Hangtian Keji Square at Houhai area, Nanshan District, and lives in Dongguan. He has mainly traveled between the two cities.

Zhu works at a restaurant in the Shenzhen airport and lives in Xinlantian Apartment at Fuyong Subdistrict in Bao’an District. Her travel trajectories are mainly confined to the subdistrict.

At a press conference yesterday, Chang Juping, the city health commission’s deputy director,  said close contacts and sub-close contacts of the three confirmed cases must undergo centralized medical quarantine for 21 days, followed by seven days of home quarantine. As of Saturday, a total of 631 close contacts and 1,047 sub-close contacts of the three cases had been identified.

Additionally, the city has set up 55 specific nucleic acid testing sites for residents with yellow health codes.