
CHONGQING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has launched large-scale COVID-19 nucleic acid testing, tracing and disinfection after an outbound traveler was diagnosed as an asymptomatic coronavirus case upon arriving in the Republic of Korea (ROK), the local health commission said on Sunday.
The ROK national is an employee of a Chongqing company and had been in the city since Feb. 1. He traveled by company car to Shuangliu International Airport in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on Thursday night. He departed from the airport on Friday and arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of the ROK capital Seoul, on the same day. He was tested upon arrival and received his diagnosis on Saturday, said the commission.
The local government has temporarily shut down the company and the hotel he had stayed in since his arrival in Chongqing. By 9 a.m. Sunday, 3,283 people, including the individual's local colleagues, hotel staff, and hotel guests who had checked in after Nov. 25, had been sampled, and 2,674 had tested negative for the virus.
A total of 49 close contacts of the individual and their 100 close contacts have been put under medical observation.
Additionally, 493 samples collected from objects and places related to the case had all tested negative, according to the commission.
Tang Wenge, deputy chief of Chongqing's center for disease control and prevention, said that source tracing work in relation to the case is underway, including sampling and the testing of those in the company who had dealt with imported materials.
The individual's return trip to the ROK will be studied further, and more testing and tracing will be conducted on his close contacts and parcels received from abroad since Nov. 13, added Tang.
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April
"She power" plays indispensable role in poverty alleviation
Top 10 world news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 China news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 media buzzwords of 2020
Year-ender:10 major tourism stories of 2020
No interference in Venezuelan issues
Biz prepares for trade spat
Broadcasting Continent
Australia wins Chinese CEOs as US loses