This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
China's Xinjiang region has been hit by a new cluster of COVID-19 cases, underscoring the country's ongoing struggle to contain the pandemic.
According to state media, at least five cases linked to Urumqi have been discovered, including a man who was confirmed positive after traveling from the city to the eastern province of Zhejiang.
The infections were detected beginning on Wednesday, prompting news of the cases to spread rapidly.
State media outlets in Urumqi responded by issuing assurances on Friday that supermarkets had ample stocks of food, in an apparent attempt to discourage panic-buying.
However, the new cases have raised concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in Xinjiang, a region with a population of over 21 million people, including many ethnic Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims.
China has reported a total of over 83,000 infections and 4,634 deaths since the outbreak began in Wuhan late last year.
Despite strict lockdowns and widespread testing, the country has struggled to contain the pandemic, with a new cluster emerging in Beijing in June, infecting over 330 people.
Aviation authorities have announced that 89 percent of flights servicing Urumqi have been cancelled, and the metro system has shut down the city's single line from late Thursday.
Public bus services have also been curtailed, with vehicles subjected to thorough disinfection and bus employees required to take COVID-19 tests.
