COVID-19 cluster infections in Chinese universities continue to spike amid new semester

It comes following a cluster infection in another university in the city, just as students began their new semester and are about to enjoy their three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, reports Global Times.

Eight confirmed local cases were reported from 0:00 to 15:00 on Saturday, with seven of the new cases being students on the campus of the Communication University of China in Beijing’s Chaoyang district, local authorities said at a press conference on Saturday, noting that all of the infected students had been transferred to designated hospitals, the newspaper reported.

Chaoyang district officials initiated an epidemiological investigation as quickly as possible.

As of 3 pm, a total of 584 people were identified as close contacts, and 22,047 people were tested for COVID-19, two of which had returned positive results.

The university entered closed-loop management on Friday after one suspicious case was found on campus, according to a statement the university issued on Saturday morning.

In another university, the Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT), 7,800 people have been screened for COVID-19 at its Changping and Haidian campuses, all returning negative results, said Wang Feng, Vice President of the university.

At present, the Haidian campus has been adjusted from temporary control to regular epidemic prevention and control management, with teachers and students insisting on “not leaving the campus unless necessary.”