77% of Guangzhou's Imported COVID-19 Cases are Chinese Citizens

By That's GBA, April 7, 2020

On Tuesday, the Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission published an update on disease control and prevention measures that the city has taken to combat imported COVID-19 cases.

The report, which was shared on the commission’s official WeChat account (in Chinese), noted that the first imported case in the city was discovered on March 15. As of April 6, Guangzhou has reported 111 imported cases of COVID-19 disease, including 86 Chinese citizens and 25 foreign nationals. Guangzhou’s imported case total accounts for 64% of the province and 11% of the Chinese mainland.

Data provided by the commission shows that 57 cases were discovered upon entering the country and 39 others showed up during the mandatory quarantine period at centralized facilities.

In the report, the city health commission added that five imported cases (all Nigerian nationals) were detected in Guangzhou’s Yuexiu district on Kuangquan Jie. A local news outlet said the cases were discovered between March 28 and 31.

Health authorities began an epidemiological investigation and found that four of the infected individuals had visited a restaurant called Emma Food multiple times in a short period. During the investigation, health officials discovered four linked cases (three in Yuexiu and one in Baiyun).

The heightened focus on foreign nationals infected by COVID-19 appears to have impacted the F&B industry in Yuexiu district. We’ve heard reports in recent days from local business owners and members of the community that restaurants and bars in Yuexiu are temporarily barring non-Chinese people from entering.

On Sunday, Guangdong health authorities raised the risk level in Guangzhou’s Yuexiu and Baiyun districts, as well as Bao’an district in Shenzhen and Huilai county in Jieyang. In Shenzhen, Bao’an district was raised to medium risk as imported cases from Hubei were reported within the last few days.

The four districts and counties are the only medium-level risk areas in the province, with remaining districts listed as low-risk areas.

[Cover image via Pixabay]