China's Zhangjiajie tightens measures to contain COVID-19

Tourists enjoy fresh air at a tourist attraction in Wulingyuan District of Zhangjiajie, central China's Hunan Province, May 1, 2021. (Photo by Wu Yongbing/Xinhua)

CHANGSHA, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- All the people in the central Chinese city of Zhangjiajie, including residents and tourists, are not allowed to leave the city from Tuesday as part of efforts to curb the latest resurgence of COVID-19, said the municipal headquarters on COVID-19 prevention and control.

Zhangjiajie, a well-known tourist destination in Hunan Province, has provided free hotels and epidemic prevention supplies to the tourists stranded by the epidemic, and arranged medical staff to conduct nucleic acid tests for tourists at their hotels.

Meanwhile, Hunan Province sent a psychological medical team to Zhangjiajie to provide mental health counseling to residents, tourists and medical staff.

Zhangjiajie closed all tourist sites and upgraded 11 neighborhoods to medium-risk for COVID-19 on July 30.

The city has reported 13 locally transmitted confirmed cases and three asymptomatic cases since July 29. In recent days, several Chinese cities have reported spikes in COVID-19 infections. A number of the cases had recently visited Zhangjiajie.