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WORLD NEWS Thursday 13 January 2022
China's Tianjin orders more testing of 14 million residents

BEIJING (AP) — The north- Authorities also released
ern Chinese city of Tianjin news of an inspection to
ordered a second round of Henan last week by Vice
COVID-19 testing of all 14 Premier Sun Chunlan, who
million residents Wednes- called for stepped-up
day following the discovery measures to prevent the
of 97 cases of the omicron spread of both the delta
variant during initial screen- and omicron variants.
ings that began Sunday. COVID-19 has spread to
Residents were asked to re- three cities in the province,
main where they are until including Yuzhou, Anyang
the results of all the nucleic and the provincial capi-
acid tests are received, the tal Zhengzhou, prompting
official Xinhua News Agen- travel bans and various lev-
cy said. els of lockdown.
Xinhua said authorities "It is necessary to do a good
have carried out almost 12 job in guaranteeing the liv-
million tests so far, with 7.8 ing needs of the people in
million samples returned. In- the closed and controlled
fections were first reported communities, ensure the
on Saturday in the city that basic medical needs of the
is only about an hour from people during the epidem-
Beijing, which is to host the ic period, and ensure that
Winter Olympics from Feb. Associated Press the people's demands can
4. they show no symptoms. than the delta variant, and rus testing Wednesday as be responded to and re-
High-speed rail service Also in the north, two col- vaccination and a booster the city attempts to stem solved in a timely manner,"
and other forms of trans- lege students who traveled still offer strong protection the emerging omicron out- Sun was quoted as saying.
portation between the cit- earlier this month by train from serious illness, hospital- break. Some Xi'an residents have
ies have been suspended, from Tianjin tested positive ization and death. Hong Kong has tightened complained about their in-
leading to some disruptions for the virus Wednesday in Millions more Chinese are pandemic-related restric- ability to obtain food and
in supply chains, including the city of Dalian, city of- under lockdown in cities tions in recent days after other daily necessities.
for packaged food items ficials said. There was no under the strict "dynamic discovering the omicron China has sacked or oth-
sold in convenience stores. word on what variant they zero-case policy" that has variant had spread be- erwise punished a number
Tianjin's COVID-19 preven- had contracted. allowed China to largely yond people arriving from of officials for dereliction
tion and control office The omicron variant contain major outbreaks, overseas. of duty related to the pan-
said all who have tested spreads even more eas- although at considerable In total, China announced demic response, including
positive in the initial testing ily than other coronavirus cost to local economies. 166 new cases of COV- failing to prevent new in-
round were found to have strains, and has already be- Hong Kong has closed kin- ID-19 in the 24 hours before fections.
the omicron variant, of come dominant in many dergartens and primary Wednesday, including 33 On Wednesday, Anyang
which China has so far only countries. It also more easily schools after infections in Tianjin and 118 in Henan authorities cited 61 govern-
reported a small number infects those who are vac- were discovered among province but just eight in ment departments and 11
of cases. The source of the cinated or were previously students, banned flights the city of Xi'an, home to officials in violation. Punish-
outbreak is still unknown infected by other versions from the United States and the famed Terracotta War- ments ranged from verbal
and many who are spread- of the virus. However, early seven other countries and rior statues and major in- warnings to dismissal, ac-
ing the variant may be do- studies show omicron is less held 2,500 passengers on dustries, where a lockdown cording to a city govern-
ing so unwittingly because likely to cause severe illness a cruise ship for coronavi- was imposed Dec. 23. ment notice. q

Swiss cut self-isolation, quarantine times as omicron rises

GENEVA (AP) — Switzer- The decision to shorten the units have fallen in recent and threatens to sideline The federal council, mean-
land's government is halv- isolation and quarantine weeks despite a surge in more staff members who while, said it too could "act
ing the self-isolation times periods, from 10 days pre- the number of cases," the test positive too, it said. swiftly" if necessary by clos-
required of people who viously, results from shorter government said. Bracing for possible staff ing businesses or institutions
test positive for the coro- times between infection However, the council cau- shortages, the eastern and capping attendance
navirus and the quarantine and transmission of omi- tioned that while omicron Swiss region of Graubun- at public events, as it has
times required of people cron compared to earlier is less dangerous for vac- den on Wednesday said done repeatedly in the
they were in contact with, variants, the government cinated and recovered it could order any trained past during the ebb and
to five days. said. The ability of Swiss people, a surge in hospi- nurses and some other flow of the pandemic.
The Federal Council, the regions to trace contacts talizations in the country is health care specialists who The country of about 8.5
seven-member executive has come under increased still expected given a huge are not currently practic- million people reported
branch of Swiss govern- pressure as case counts, spike in case counts and ing to go to work if hospi- more than 32,000 cases of
ment, made the decision and thus people affected an increase in positive tests talizations surge. It cited a COVID-19 over the last 24
Wednesday and in a state- by isolation and quaran- among people admitted clause of Swiss law allow- hours, among the highest
ment noted intensive-care tine, has risen sharply. to hospital "even though ing for such a mandatory figures it has recorded dur-
admissions are lower in the "The epidemiological situa- they were not admitted call-up in health emergen- ing the pandemic. A total
pandemic since the emer- tion is critical and remains due to COVID-19." cies. Trained personnel at of 16 people died of COV-
gence of the omicron vari- difficult to assess: Hospi- That requires isolating more higher risk of severe COVID ID-related causes over the

ant worldwide over the last tal admissions and occu- people, which makes care such as the elderly would last day, raising the total
two months. pancy of intensive care in hospital more complex, be exempt. death toll to 12,047.q