Changchun hits zero-COVID status at the community level

All parts of Jilin province hit by the recent COVID-19 outbreak — including Changchun, the capital — have now achieved zero-COVID status at the community level, based on comprehensive study and judgment of the latest mass nucleic acid testing results, officials said at a news conference on Thursday.

This means that the province has controlled the novel coronavirus after 45 days of hard work, said Zhang Baozong, deputy director of the provincial publicity department.

The local COVID-19 epidemic spread rapidly in Jilin since the first cases were reported in Hunchun, a border city in Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture, he said.

Infections were reported in succession in the cities of Jilin and Changchun in the following days. As of March 11, the epidemic had spread to six city-level regions and a county under administration of the province. Community transmission also broke out simultaneously in Changchun and Jilin city.

The city of Jilin achieved zero-COVID status at the community level on April 8 after 37 days of effort and now is sparing no effort to promote a return to ordinary life in steps, Zhang added.

"Next, we will strive to achieve the dynamic clearance of COVID-19 as soon as possible," he said. "Local communities will be placed under different levels of control and prevention to gradually restore order to residents' lives."

Jilin reported 325 new local cases and 674 asymptomatic carriers on Wednesday, the provincial Health Commission said on Thursday.

Of the confirmed cases, 285 were found in Changchun, 36 in Jilin city and four in Baicheng.

Of the asymptomatic carriers, 621 were identified in Changchun, 49 in Jilin city, two in Baicheng and one each in the cities of Liaoyuan and Meihekou.