Guangdong reported three imported COVID-19 cases on March 11th, one individual travelling to Shenzhen from France and two travelling from Spain to Zhongshan. The Health Commissions from the two cities has released detailed information about the cases:

The Shenzhen case

The patient surnamed Liao, Chinese, male, aged 25, is a resident of Baoan District, Shenzhen.

Liao took flight CX261 to Paris via Hong Kong International Airport on February 7th, and remained in Paris throughout. Liao said one of his French co-workers reported a high temperature during this period.

Liao himself then reported having had a temperature and cough on March 2nd.

A week later he took flight CX260 back to Hong Kong on March 9th and arrived at Hong Kong Airport on the morning of March 10th. Then he took a taxi (plate number: UF1749) to Shenzhen Bay Port.

Shenzhen Bay Port (Photo: Lu Li) 

Liao entered Shenzhen Bay Port at 8:30, showing no abnormality in the temperature check (36.9℃). When Shenzhen Customs collected his samples for testing, however, they called an ambulance as his health declaration shows he had spent time in France and had a record of respiratory symptoms.

Liao was sent to the fever clinic at Shenzhen Shekou People’s Hospital at 10:00 directly from the port. When undergoing further tests, the CT scan found ground-glass opacities in his both lungs.

He was tested positive for COVID-19 at 19:00 on March 10th and has been transferred to the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen for quarantine treatment. His condition remains stable.

As the patient was directed transferred from the port to the hospital, he has had no close contacts on Chinese mainland.

The Zhongshan cases

The two cases reported in Zhongshan are residents of the Shidai Yuntu community (时代云图), Shiqi District.

The female patient and her young son, travelled to Valencia from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport with two family members to visit relatives on January 24th.

They took flight UX1005 (seat number: 18A, 18B, 18C and 19A) to Paris at 6:00 on March 9th (local time), and transferred to flight CZ348 (seat number: 36G, 36H, 36J and 36K) to Guangzhou at 12:00 (local time). They arrived at Terminal 2 of Baiyun Airport at 6:00 on the morning of March 10th, showing no abnormalities in temperature checks and no symptoms on health declaration. Immigration officials collected samples before letting them enter the border.

At 11:00 on March 10th, they bought shuttle bus tickets at the airport and had some food at the 真功夫 restaurant near the ticket counter. They stayed there for about 30 minutes and then took the shuttle bus to Zhongshan from Stop 14 at 11:50. They arrived at Zhongshan Air Terminal (西区懿峰国际候机楼) at about 14:00.

They took a taxi at 14:10 and reached Shidai Yuntu at 14:26. They have not left their apartment apart from collecting food deliveries and dumping rubbish since then. They all wore masks every time they went out and have had no contacts with other people.

The woman and her son were transferred to the Second People’s Hospital of Zhongshan at 23:00 after Immigration informed them that they had tested positive for COVID-19. Their conditions remain stable. The epidemic control department has disinfected their apartment and the places where they have been to in the residential community.

As of 12:00 on March 11th, 46 people were found to have close contact with the patients, of which 12 are in Zhongshan and have been quarantined for medical observation. The other 34 are passengers of the flight CZ348. 8 of them are now in other cities across Guangdong and have been quarantined while the remaining individuals who travelled onward to other provinces, have been informed accordingly.

Authors: Jasmine, Zoey

Editors: Keane, Simon