Theater Audiences Exposed to Covid-19 in Hunan

What’s new: A total of 777 people have been exposed to Covid-19 after watching a show in Central China’s Hunan province that was directed by a person confirmed with the virus.

The audiences, who watched the show from July 25 to Tuesday at the Taohuayuan Tourism Management Zone in Changde, a popular tourist destination in Hunan, are deemed to be at high risk for Covid-19, according to a notice issued Sunday by local headquarters on the epidemic prevention and control.

The background: On Friday, authorities in Yinchuan, Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region, reported that a person surnamed Zhang was confirmed with Covid-19 and that he had been in close contact with a previously confirmed case in the southwestern city of Chengdu. Zhang was found to be the director of the show and had worked at the site of the show held in Changde between July 25 and 27.

On Sunday, Hunan province reported (link in Chinese) 18 locally transmitted cases, including four in Zhangjiajie. The tourist city last week tested more than 2,900 performers and staff members for Covid-19 at the Wulingyuan scenic spot after four tourists infected with the virus were found to have watched a performance there.

Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use.

Contact reporter Wang Xintong (xintongwang@caixin.com) and editor Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com)

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