China launches probe against officials for covering up fresh COVID 19 outbreak

Beijing [China], August 14 (ANI): China has launched a probe against Yucheng county in Central China’s Henan Province which failed to curb the spread of coronavirus resulting in four new cases in the region, a media report said on Saturday.

According to the Shangqiu government, which administers the Yucheng county, one of the four new cases confirmed on Friday had close unprotected contact with a previously confirmed case. The new confirmed cases were due to poor performance by the Yucheng county in its COVID-19 response. The county is suspected of covering up the local epidemic, Chinese state media Global Times reported.

In an attempt to curb the coronavirus spread, the Shangqiu government on Saturday announced to conduct a citywide nucleic acid testing.

Last week, China punished nearly 47 officials over the recent outbreak of COVID-19’s Delta variant in the country. Across the nation, officials ranging from the heads of local governments, health commissions, hospitals and airports, have been punished for negligence.

In Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province, 15 officials were held accountable for allowing infections to spread at the Nanjing Lukou International Airport.

China on Saturday reported 66 new coronavirus cases taking the total number of coronavirus cases to 94,326 so far. (ANI)