Failure by confirmed virus case to report travel leads to 1,751 close contacts

A confirmed COVID-19 case in Beijing failed to report their travel to their residential community after arriving, which has led to 1,751 close contacts, including passengers on the same train and people in hospital, workplace and neighboring communities, a senior official said on Wednesday.

The family in this case, which lives in Changping district, said they did not know that they had been to high-risk areas during their travel, so they didn't report it, said Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at a news conference on Wednesday.

She reminded the public to pay attention to where they travel and report in a timely manner according to regulations, which is helpful and effective to cut social costs for virus control and prevention.

Beijing reported a new locally-transmitted COVID-19 case who was previously an asymptomatic carrier in Fangshan district in the capital. Fifty-four close contacts were identified and two residential communities have been under control.

Li Yi, spokesman for the city's education commission, said at the press conference that all primary and middle schools in Beijing will start the fall semester on schedule, which is usually on Sept 1.

"Schools are getting prepared for the new semester. The health of students and teachers is our top priority. From the current situation, the fall semester will begin as scheduled," he said.