A medical worker takes a swab sample from a child for nucleic acid testing at a residential area in Ejina Banner of Alxa League, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 20 October 2021. Photo: Xinhua

Authorities in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have dismissed Sun Jianjun, the head of Alxa League’s culture, tourism and television department, making him the fourth official to be sacked due to a poor response to the latest outbreak of COVID-19. at the top.

The Alxa League government said on Saturday that Sun was dismissed as head of the Alxa League Party’s culture, tourism and television department as well as the head of cultural relics because he failed to timely implemented anti-epidemic measures in accordance with requirements.

Continued COVID-19 infections are reported in Inner Mongolia. On Saturday, Inner Mongolia recorded 155 locally transmitted confirmed cases, including 132 from the Alxa League’s Ejin Banner. Alxa League’s Ejin Banner has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases during this outbreak wave.

The outbreak linked to the Alxa League’s Ejin Banner was first discovered among members of a tour group who visited there, which later affected at least 14 provinces and cities. In the face of soaring infections, Inner Mongolia had suspended all interregional tours as part of circuit-breaking measures.

The latest dereliction of duty announcement came after three cases of dereliction of duty in epidemic prevention work were reported by the Alxa League government, which administers the Ejin Banner. Chen Zhanyun, party leader of Ejin Banner, was among them.

Ejin Banner is the first city to impose sanctions on officials since the emergence of the last COVID-19 outbreak. Earlier, Ejin Banner also took action to punish six officials, including local health commission chiefs, for their lax response and ineffective management since COVID-19 broke out on Oct. 17.

Health authorities said the outbreak in the region is still in a rapidly developing phase. As the outbreak in Ejin Banner has spread among communities, more cases are likely to be reported.

Although small-scale clusters of sporadic cases have occurred in parts of China, China’s top respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan said on Saturday he believed it would be effectively under control within a month.

According to Zhong, about 80 percent of Chinese people are expected to complete their vaccinations by the end of 2021.

According to China’s National Health Commission, the mainland reported 59 local confirmed cases on Friday.

Among them, 26 were reported in the city of Heihe in northeast China. Due to a severe epidemic, the health code of all residents of Heihe City will be changed to yellow. The health code is an important pass for getting around the county.

Beijing also reported two domestic cases, all of which were reported in Changping District. Changping closed 23 more pharmacies after closing 44 pharmacies for their lack of response in epidemic prevention and control.

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