Shanghai Pudong Airport COVID Case Confirmed as Omicron Variant

By Ned Kelly, January 28, 2022

Genetic sequencing has revealed that the latest Pudong International Airport COVID-19 case, confirmed on Monday, January 24, is infected with the highly infectious Omicron variant, the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention has announced.

The 29-year-old male handles import business in the cargo area at Pudong Airport.

The case was transferred to the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center for isolation and treatment on Sunday, and 96 close contacts were quarantined for nucleic acid testing.

Among them, the case's wife tested positive with mild symptoms, and was confirmed as a new local COVID-19 case yesterday. A further 30 close contacts of her have been put under medical observation in centralized isolation.

The couple are residents of Fengxian District, a suburban district in the south of Shanghai. The Group 8 area of Xingfu Village, Fengcheng Town, Fengxian District has been designated medium-risk.

Other areas the man visited, such as the Bailian Nanqiao Shopping Mall and a tire repair shop on Xinfeng Highway, have been thoroughly disinfected. The mall reopened to the public on Wednesday after a two-day quarantine.

Pudong Airport has launched a quick response system, with the man's workplace and all the personnel there having been screened, tested and quarantined. The operation of the airport, both passenger and cargo flights, remains unaffected.

Earlier this month, a cluster of five COVID-19 cases in Jing’an District were confirmed as the highly infectious Omicron variant.

The cases were centered around a store named China Fresh Tea at 228 Yuyuan Lu, located 200 meters from the No. 1 exit of Jing’an Temple Station. The lockdown at 228 Yuyuan Lu was lifted at midnight on Wednesday.

Officials have urged people to avoid unnecessary trips outside Shanghai during the upcoming Spring Festival holiday, while gatherings should be reduced.

At the time of publication, China had identified 12 high-risk areas and 41 medium-risk areas, including the Group 8 area of Xingfu Village in Fengxian District. Scan the QR to find out where they are and see the latest numbers: