BEIJING — Here are the latest developments from China's COVID-19 control and prevention efforts:
— North China's Hebei province on Jan 11 designated two more areas as medium-risk for COVID-19, both in the city of Xingtai.
A total of 30 areas in Shijiazhuang and Xingtai have so far been classified as medium-risk, and the worst-hit district of Gaocheng in Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital, has been classified as a high-risk area.
Hebei reported 82 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and 49 asymptomatic cases on Jan 10. Of the confirmed cases, 77 were reported in Shijiazhuang, and five in Xingtai.
— About 25,000 couriers are returning to work to supply daily necessities to stay-at-home residents in Shijiazhuang, where courier service resumed on Jan 10.
All residents in Shijiazhuang have been told to stay at home for two weeks since Jan 6 amid a new cluster outbreak, while local authorities said efforts had been beefed up to ensure the supply of daily necessities.
— Heating, gas and water suppliers in Shijiazhuang said they have taken measures to ensure no disruption in supply as all its residents observe home quarantines.
— Wangkui county in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province on Jan 11 announced the implementation of traffic restrictions and suspending operations of all buses and taxis after the county reported eight new asymptomatic novel coronavirus infections on Jan 10.
— Beijing has tightened rules for the city's taxi and ride-hailing services after a new asymptomatic COVID-19 case was reported on Jan 9 involving a driver on a ride-hailing platform.
The Chinese capital requires passengers of taxi and ride-hailing platforms to register their health status through a phone app when using the services. Drivers can deny services to passengers who refuse to register, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport.
— Liaoning province has decided to further extend the health observation period to 28 days for all inbound travelers from overseas, according to a recent video conference held by provincial authorities.
In addition to the current 14-day centralized medical quarantine and seven-day home observation, the new "14+7+7" model will enforce another week of health monitoring, during which the quarantined individual must regularly report body temperature to the local community.