Shenzhen restarts production, public transportation

Inside a workshop in the Dapeng New District of Shenzhen, Guangdong province, machines operated at full speed on Monday after the city resumed its industrial operations and public transportation.

"We have fully resumed processing operations, thanks to effective control and prevention measures against the COVID-19 outbreak," said Gao Qing, general manager of Shenzhen Jingfeng Crystal Technology Co.

The company, which focuses on research and manufacturing of electronic components, was one of Shenzhen's key enterprises to receive tailored solutions from the city government to sustain its business operations amid the outbreak.

All government agencies, public institutions and businesses in Shenzhen－except in part of Futian district－resumed normal operations on Monday, after the city basically maintained zero-COVID status at the community level over the past seven days, according to local authorities.

"Local governments have introduced specific control and prevention measures in the industrial zones, which closed last week, that allowed us to maintain production," said Gao.

The resumption of business activities and public transportation came after Shenzhen completed three rounds of citywide testing, from March 14 to 20, in which most new local novel coronavirus cases were found among people already under quarantine.

"The COVID-19 prevention and control situation in the city remains grim, but generally under control," said Huang Qiang, deputy secretary-general of the Shenzhen municipal government.

Huang said the number of locally confirmed cases identified outside quarantined areas of the city had decreased from a previous high of 38 to a single case on Saturday, meaning Shenzhen had essentially achieved dynamic zero-COVID status.

Shenzhen will adopt a variety of measures for businesses in industrial and supply chains to ensure stable operations, Huang said, adding that the city will continue with COVID prevention and control measures at residential communities and villages, where negative test results within 48 hours are required for entry and exit.

"We will continue to guarantee the stable operation of the city's industrial and supply chains and further reduce companies' burdens by implementing a variety of measures," said Yu Jing, deputy director of Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

Shenzhen reported 44 new local COVID-19 carriers, either confirmed or asymptomatic, on Sunday. Forty-two of the 44 were found among quarantined people, local health authorities said on Monday.

Meanwhile, the city of Jilin, in Jilin province, has placed movement restrictions on residents starting Monday as part of the control and prevention measures adopted to fight China's latest COVID-19 outbreak.

The province reported 1,542 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 549 asymptomatic carriers on Sunday, the Jilin Provincial Health Commission said on Monday.

Zhou Huiying contributed to this story.