A Chinese city is offering 100,000 yuan ($15,500) reward for information on the source of its latest coronavirus outbreak. China reported 43 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday amid a surge in infections due to the Delta variant over the past three weeks. The city government in Heihe issued a notice, saying that in order to uncover the source of the outbreak and to break the chain of transmission, it is necessary to “wage a people’s war of epidemic prevention and control.”

It also urged people to report smuggling, illegal hunting and cross-border fishing. Those who have bought goods online from abroad have been asked to “immediately sterilise” them and send them for tests, news agency AFP reported.

Authorities reimpose lockdowns in China, COVID infections spread to 11 provinces

About 76% of China’s population has been fully vaccinated even as the country continues to rely on strict containment measures to curb even the smallest of outbreaks. China is also among the few countries where children as young as three are being immunised against coronavirus with at least five provinces last month issuing notices mandating vaccination for children ages 3 to 11.

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Last week, a primary school in China was locked down for hours after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus. Anxious parents were asked to pack clothes for the dozens of students who were quarantined in the school overnight until their results came out, local media reported.

China school locks down students until COVID results over one positive case

On October 26, China locked down several cities to stem an outbreak of 29 new infections, including six cases in Lanzhou, the provincial capital of the northwestern Gansu province. Nearly four million people were ordered to stay at home except in case of emergencies and authorities also cancelled a marathon in which nearly 30,000 runners were expected to participate.

China has previously expressed concern about the COVID-19 pandemic being the “biggest challenge” to preparations for the Winter Olympics due to be held in February next year.