Top Mainland Expert Says Guangzhou Needs Tough Curbs

The mainland’s top respiratory disease expert, Zhong Nanshan, has called on authorities to conduct more vigorous testing and further reduce the movement of people in Guangdong province to rein in the spread of Covid-19 there.

The province reported 11 new confirmed cases – all located in the city of Guangzhou – on Tuesday, down from 20 the previous day.

Guangzhou's vice mayor Li Ming earlier said that all patients were infected with a mutated Covid strain first discovered in India, which had a short incubation period, a high viral load, and allowed for rapid transmission.

During a meeting with top Guangdong health officials on Tuesday, Zhong said it is important to implement a strict testing regime and anti-epidemic measures in densely populated areas to sever transmission chains within the community.

A partial lockdown remains in force in Guangzhou.

Those wanting to leave the city must show a negative test result obtained within the past 72 hours, while some residents in neighbouring Foshan have also been ordered to stay at home.