Mainland China reports 34 new coronavirus cases, including 20 in Xinjiang
Story highlights
As of Friday, mainland China had 83,784 confirmed coronavirus cases, the health authority said.
China reported 34 cases of the new coronavirus in the mainland for July 24, up from 21 cases a day earlier, the health commission said on Saturday.
Of the new infections, 20 were in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Xinjiang, according to a statement by the National Health Commission.
Speaking at a press conference held on Friday afternoon, Yasim Sadiq, the mayor of Urumqi, said the city has not yet considered an adjustment to the anti-coronavirus measures.
"Based on the experience gained domestically and from other countries as well as epidemiological patterns, asymptomatic cases will become confirmed cases so currently it is very important to conduct free COVID-19 nucleic acid tests to all citizens in a timely manner,'' said the mayor.
The expert team from the State Council, medical professionals of the autonomous region, and of Urumqi City will look into the results of the nucleic acid tests and epidemiological survey results before they make a further evaluation of the spread of the virus," he added.
He explained that a rash change of the anti-epidemic measures might have a negative effect, and the city authorities will spare no efforts to improve testing capacity.
During the press conference an official from the local commerce bureau gave a brief on food prices, saying that the supply of daily necessities is stable.
"So far, there is an ample supply of vegetables, meat, grain and edible oil in the city. The wholesale price of common meat products and 60 kinds of common vegetables have returned to normal prices before the latest outbreak took place," said Yan Jun, director of the Bureau of Commerce (Bureau of Grain) of Urumqi City.
Since the virus first surfaced in the central city of Wuhan late last year, the country's official number of infections has been restricted to a trickle, mainly among arrivals from abroad. All mass lockdowns have been lifted.
But recent domestic outbreaks have proved the difficulty of stamping out the contagion entirely.
The regional capital city has tested over 2.3 million people for COVID-19 with nucleic acid tests, according to a press conference held Friday by the regional information office.
China reported 74 new asymptomatic cases, up from 43 a day earlier. As of Friday, mainland China had 83,784 confirmed coronavirus cases, the health authority said. The COVID-19 death toll remained at 4,634.