Outbreak strands tourist group in Ejine Banner

Yu Jiwu, who operates an adventure tourist club in Ankang, Shaanxi province, got stranded in Ejine Banner in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region due to the latest outbreak of COVID-19.

Born in 1972, he served in the People's Liberation Army before he started the Antu Outdoor Adventure Store in Ankang. As the team leader of the travel group, he and six of his clients started the journey on Oct 16. They rented a minivan and planned to travel from Ankang to Ejine Banner to visit the desert poplar trees in seven days.

However, Yu learned on the way to Ejine that Xi'an, Shaanxi, had reported new confirmed COVID-19 cases. The team continued on its journey after confirming with scenic spot workers in Ejine that the banner was still operating normally.

Due to Ejine's limited reception capacity, the team rented two apartments in a residential community instead of booking hotels. The banner, with an area of 114,600 square kilometers, has a population of only 35,700 people.

On the second day, the seven people went to appreciate the sunrise at a lake. When they went back to the apartment in the evening, they found that the community was quarantined and police had blocked the roads.

According to Yu, nearly 1 million travelers visit Ejine every year. The local government suggested residents rent their apartments out to help accommodate more travelers.

"We've been quarantined since Oct 18," Yu said. "We were able to walk around in the community at the beginning, but later we were asked not to leave the apartment since the local government strengthened measures to contain COVID-19.

"We've had five rounds of nucleic acid testing, all of which turned out to be negative. With the help of local residents and the government, we are now waiting patiently for the banner to lift the quarantine. Sometimes, we make dumplings together and do yoga, and we talk to each other frequently."

Yu praised the banner's control and prevention efforts.

"Ejine is not as developed as many other cities and has difficulties in many areas," he said. "But I think that the local government has done a good job in containing the virus. Neighboring cities have assisted it and helped the stranded tourists.

"Speaking of difficulties, we stranded tourists also had problems buying medicine. The volunteers helped us out."

Yu also mentioned the financial burden he was bearing. The team had to pay the rent for the apartments and the minivan every day. Many of the 9,412 visitors stranded in the banner expressed hope that they could go home as soon as possible, he said.

"Ejine is beautiful and empty. The infrastructure here is poor, but the people here are friendly. I hope that it can contain the virus quickly, and I'll definitely come back with my clients every year during the peak tourist season."