Provinces step up to assist in quarantine

Zhejiang, Jiangsu provide 60,000 hotel rooms for COVID-hit megacity

East China's Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces are offering 60,000 hotel rooms to be used for quarantine for people from neighboring Shanghai.

In Zhejiang's capital Hangzhou, over 200 people from Shanghai, who were identified as close contacts with confirmed cases have been transferred from Shanghai to New Century Hangzhou Qiandao Lake Longting Hotel in Chun'an county, since Monday.

After being informed by the government that it will be used for quarantine, the hotel carried out sterilization, trained and arranged staff, and prepared daily supplies.

The hotel has so far arranged more than 30 service personnel and worked with the epidemic prevention team from the government to provide better catering and accommodation services.

"We want to provide a warm service for them and try our best to meet their needs. For example, we have provided students with a stable internet network to take online classes," said Xu Wei, a manager from the hotel.

A citizen from Qingpu district in western Shanghai, who was currently being quarantined at the hotel, shared the beautiful view of Qiandao Lake, one of the landmark scenic attractions in Zhejiang.

In Xinqiao Hotel in Shangcheng district of Hangzhou, over 180 staff have worked to ensure the hotel has relevant facilities and medical supplies available. On Wednesday, the first group of Shanghai residents arrived at the hotel for quarantine.

All those transferred to hotels are required to be quarantined for 14 days, with all the expenses covered by the government, according to a notice from Shanghai's leading group for epidemic prevention and control on Wednesday.

The rooms provided by the two provinces are all in hotels and other venues that meet epidemic prevention and control requirements.

Eight groups of people, including the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with mobility issues, underlying health problems or mental illnesses will not be transferred, as the Shanghai government will provide places and guarantee their basic needs.

So far, Zhejiang has provided 21,000 rooms, with 5,200 rooms in Hangzhou, 6,200 rooms in Ningbo, 2,000 rooms in Taizhou, 3,000 rooms in Shaoxing, 3,000 rooms in Jinhua and 2,000 rooms in Huzhou.

Jiangsu has so far offered 16,000 rooms, with 2,000 rooms in Wuxi, 3,300 rooms in Yangzhou, 2,200 rooms in Changzhou, 980 rooms in Suzhou, 960 rooms in Zhenjiang, 1,000 rooms in Taizhou, 2,300 rooms in Yancheng and 3,200 rooms in its capital Nanjing.

At present, all 16 districts of Shanghai have started transferring people with the first groups transferred on Monday. Vehicles deployed for trans-provincial transfers are required to maintain closed-loop management.

Fang Xiaoying in Hangzhou contributed to this story.