BEIJING, (Reuters) – China’s Tianjin port reported an increase of COVID-19-related infections Thursday. The city was intensifying efforts to control an Omicron virus outbreak in another Chinese city.

Omicron poses new challenges to China’s ability to swiftly stamp out emerging diseases. It has also increased the urgency of China’s efforts to do so ahead the Winter Olympics which will begin on February 4th, while busy Lunar New Year travel season starts this month.

Volkswagen (DE) Group China Unit stated that it shut down a Tianjin vehicle plant jointly operated with FAW Group and a component manufacturing facility since Monday because of the flu epidemic.

Tianjin is located approximately 100km (62 miles), from Beijing. It reported 41 cases of domestically transmitted diseases with confirmed symptoms Wednesday. This was up from 33 the previous day, National Health Commission data revealed.

Dalian reported from the northeast that an Omicron positive individual had arrived from Tianjin. Officials said they also confirmed it. According to it, the virus was under control.

After two Omicron infection cases Monday, Anyang, in central Henan province reported 43 local symptoms on Wednesday. The flare up was traced to Tianjin student.

The number of Omicron-related cases in Tianjin is small compared to other outbreaks. However, the local Omicron infection rate remains unclear. However, authorities imposed travel restrictions within and around the affected cities.

Many cities in China have placed quarantine orders for visitors who recently visited the cities. Beijing is one of many Chinese cities encouraging people to remain put for the Lunar New Year holidays.

Officials in the capital encouraged people from satellite cities to commute to the capital because of the Omicron threat and to ensure the safety of the Olympics Games.

On Wednesday there were no additional deaths. The death toll from the virus in China, which was discovered two years ago, remained unchanged at 4,636.

INFECTIONS EXPORTED

Zhang Wenhong (director of COVID-19 Treatment Team in Shanghai) said Thursday that the Shanghai public health clinic had seen a record amount of new infections from abroad.

According to Reuters, Shanghai’s import cases during December have exceeded those of December. It is not clear how many Omicron cases were involved.

China has taken more U.S. airlines out of service after the emergence of infected travelers.

One of the harshest measures taken against local outbreaks was punishment. Wednesday saw 11 officials in Anyang held accountable for failure to control the virus.

The city of Xian had on Thursday ordered that two hospitals in its ancient capital suspend their operations for three consecutive months because they were unable to offer medical attention during the flu epidemic.

This move resulted in a 10% drop in shares owned by XiAn International Medical Investment Co. It was also the daily maximum percentage change.

The hospital apologized for its rigid controls on viruses that delayed the treatment of a patient who died from a heart attack.

An unborn child died in the womb of a mother who waited two hours to be admitted at another hospital. This story sparked anger and punishment from Chinese officials.