BEIJING, June 19, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – The airport in China’s southern city of
Shenzhen cancelled hundreds of flights and tightened entry controls Saturday
after a restaurant employee tested positive for the Delta coronavirus
variant.
Anyone entering the facility must show a negative virus test from the last
48 hours, Shenzhen Airport Group said in a statement on its official WeChat
social media account.
City health officials said a 21-year-old waitress at Shenzhen Baoan
International Airport had been infected with the Delta variant of the virus.
The woman tested positive during a routine test for airport staff conducted
Thursday, they said.
Shenzhen, a mainland Chinese city neighbouring Hong Kong, is home to some
of Asia’s biggest tech companies including telecoms equipment maker Huawei
and gaming giant Tencent.
China on Friday reported 30 new coronavirus cases, including six local
transmissions in the southern province of Guangdong where Shenzhen is
located.
The airport entry restrictions came into effect from 1 pm local time
Saturday (0500 GMT).
Nearly 400 flights to and from the airport were cancelled Friday, data from
flight tracker VariFlight showed. Dozens of flights scheduled for Saturday
morning were also dropped.
Passengers would receive refunds on their tickets without penalty, the
airport authority said.
Millions of Shenzhen residents have been tested for the virus in recent
weeks after a small outbreak at the city’s port earlier this month.