Guangzhou female identified as asymptomatic coronavirus carrier; community outbreak remains low

A new locally transmitted asymptomatic novel coronavirus carrier was detected in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, on Friday, but health officials and medical experts reiterated the risk of community outbreak in the southern metropolis is still very low.

According to a statement released by the Guangzhou City Health Commission on Friday afternoon, the female asymptomatic coronavirus carrier surnamed Xian is a staff of Tokai Hotel, a quarantine hotel in the city's busy Yuexiu district.

All Xian's close contacts have been put under quarantine. And Xian has been sent to Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, a designated facility for COVID-19 patients, for further observation and treatment.

Xian was detected to be an asymptomatic coronavirus carrier by medical experts after her nucleic acid testing result came out positive in a routine testing on Friday, the statement said.

Previously Xian's nucleic acid testing had been negative for eight times this month, it said.

She is believed to be infected with the coronavirus by her colleague surnamed Xu who was detected to be an asymptomatic virus carrier last Saturday, said the statement.

Xian is a close contact of Xu who is now in the Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital for treatment.

Xu, 42, was diagnosed to be an import-related case, as she has never left Guangzhou for weeks, the statement said.

To control and prevent the coronavirus from further spreading in the city, which has a population of more than 16 million, Yuexiu district has launched a district-wide nucleic acid testing since Saturday.