BEIJING — To make sure the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games can be held safely on time, the key is to guarantee that regular COVID-19 control measures are fully implemented, an official with the National Health Commission pointed out on Jan 13. 

"Although sporadic locally transmitted cases have emerged in China, generally, epidemic prevention and control situation have been positive nationwide," said Wang Bin, an official with the commission, at a press conference.

Wang also referred to the successful pre-homologation of Beijing 2022 venue National Sliding Center and an on-site visit by a delegation from four international winter sports federations in November last year as a good experience for COVID-19 countermeasures during the Games.

According to the commission, the Chinese mainland on Jan 12 reported 115 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 107 were locally transmitted, and the rest arrived from outside the mainland.