Beijing Says International Mail Is Possible Culprit in First Omicron Case

Well being authorities in Beijing explained they haven’t been capable to trace the source of the Chinese capital’s initially nearby Omicron infection but indicated it could possibly have arrived by worldwide mail.

Beijing introduced the Omicron case on Saturday after the affected individual designed a small-grade fever on Friday and took a voluntary exam that arrived back again optimistic for Covid-19. Authorities sealed off the patient’s household compound and business building, and released get hold of-tracing attempts.

Checks for extra than sixteen,500 individuals recognized as possibly getting exposed to the affected individual arrived back again destructive, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the city’s municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, explained at a push convention on Monday.

Locale details showed that the affected individual, who experienced no modern travel historical past, hadn’t shared area with any other acknowledged Omicron patients or their contacts, or anybody who experienced not long ago returned from overseas, Ms. Pang explained in reviews noted by Chinese point out media.

Even so, traces of the Omicron variant were being uncovered in samples collected from a piece of mail despatched from Canada that affected individual experienced touched, Ms. Pang explained, adding that the mail “could not be ruled out” as the source of the publicity.

China has formerly highlighted mail as a doable source of Covid-19 infections. In November, the country’s Point out Postal Bureau urged staff members to be on superior inform in handling mail and letters both of those from overseas and from superior-possibility places inside China. It explained at the time that Covid-19 experienced been not long ago detected from products shipped into the country from overseas, but didn’t offer information.

The Postal Bureau also repeated previously assertions that frozen-food stuff imports were being a further most likely vector for Covid-19 infections, even with popular skepticism outside China. The U.S., the European Union and numerous other governments have explained they see no important possibility that the virus is spreading by way of the cold chain.

Covid-19 mostly spreads by way of the air, hitching a journey on very small drinking water droplets expelled when individuals converse or cough. The Globe Well being Corporation suggests it is doable for individuals to become infected after touching contaminated surfaces or objects, but researchers generally believe that that possibility is quite small.

Ben Cowling, chair professor of epidemiology at the University of Hong Kong, explained he wouldn’t rule the possibility out but feel it is fairly not likely the new Beijing case arrived from the mail.

“Virus can keep on being viable on surfaces for a though at cold temperatures, but transmission by using contaminated surfaces is not a common route of transmission,” he explained.

Regional unfold of the Omicron variant in China was initially noted significantly less than a week in the past in the port city of Tianjin, which neighbors Beijing, and has considering that unfold to other Chinese metropolitan areas.

Ms. Pang, the Beijing wellness formal, explained the Omicron variant was detected in 10 samples collected from a piece of mail dealt with by the affected individual on Jan. eleven, 4 times after it was despatched from Canada, by way of the U.S. and Hong Kong. The samples were being collected from the exterior of the mail as properly as the papers inside, she explained.

Well being workers also tracked down a further piece of mail sent to a various area from the exact same sender, and uncovered Covid-19 virus inside and on the deal with as properly, in accordance to Ms. Pang.

Ms. Pang explained gene sequencing showed that the virus that caused the Beijing Omicron infection is extra very similar to strains uncovered in North The us and Singapore than those that caused the Omicron cases elsewhere in China or any past Covid-19 infections in Beijing—yet a further rationale why the mail was the suspect.

Well being authorities didn’t say regardless of whether the Omicron samples from the mail were being a genetic match with the virus that infected the Beijing affected individual.

To battle Omicron surges, some countries are handing out 2nd booster shots. In Israel, early details counsel a fourth vaccine dose can improve defense against Covid-19, but scientists aren’t certain how very long it can past and some say further boosters won’t support. Photograph composite: Eve Hartley/WSJ

Produce to Wenxin Fan at [email protected]

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