COVID-19 pandemic in Tibet

This article documents the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

COVID-19 pandemic in Tibet
Yellow: District with one or more cases
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationTibet
Arrival date30 January 2020
Confirmed cases1[1]
Recovered1[2]
Deaths
0

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[3][4]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than that for SARS of 2003,[5][6] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[7][5]

Timeline
COVID-19 cases in Tibet  ()
     Deaths        Recoveries        Active cases
202020202021202120222022
JanJanFebFebMarMarAprAprMayMayJunJunJulJulAugAugSepSepOctOctNovNovDecDec
JanJanFebFebMarMarAprAprMayMayJunJunJulJulAugAugSepSepOctOctNovNovDecDec
JanJanFebFebMarMarAprAprMayMayJunJunJulJulAugAug
Last 15 daysLast 15 days
Date
# of cases
2020-01-30
​
1
⋮
​
1(=)
2020-02-12
​
1(=)
⋮
⋮
​
1(=)
⋮
2022-08-07
​
​
5(+400%)
Data sourced from document

Although there were no suspected and confirmed cases in Tibet at the time, an Autonomous Region leadership group was established on January 27, 2020, with the Secretary of the Party Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the chairman of the Autonomous Region as the group leaders, to respond to the novel coronavirus pneumonia. At the same time, Tibet declared a Level II major public health emergency response.[8] Starting on the same day, all tourist sites in Tibet were temporarily closed,[9] and all persons entering Tibet were required to be quarantined for 14 days in designated places.[10] On 29 January, Tibet escalated its major public health emergency response level to Level I.[11]

On 29 January, Tibet reported its first suspected cases, a person from Suizhou, Hubei, who took a train from Wuchang railway station to Lhasa on 22–24 January.[12] On 30 January, the case was confirmed.[1] On 12 February, the patient was discharged after recovery from the Third People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region. Thus, the number of active confirmed and suspected cases in Tibet decreased to zero.[2]

Tibet had not found any further cases of COVID-19 for over two and a half years until August 7, 2022, when four travelers from Tingri County were diagnosed with COVID-19, although they were all asymptomatic. The travelers were between 47 and 61 years old. It was later reported that the total number of cases for August 7 was 22 (including one case with symptoms), many of whom entered Tibet's capital Lhasa from Shigatse. The discovery of these cases ended China's longest COVID-free streak among regions and provinces after 920 days.[13]

In response to the new COVID-19 cases and in line with mainland China's Zero-COVID policy, the city of Shigatse imposed a three-day lockdown from August 8, during which only essential businesses are allowed to operate and all travel (inbound or outbound) is prohibited. Several buildings were also locked down in Lhasa.[14]

See also

References
  1. "西藏自治区确诊首例新型冠状病毒感染的肺炎病例_西藏自治区卫生健康委员会". wjw.xizang.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2020-01-30. Retrieved 2020-01-30.
  2. "西藏首例新型冠状病毒肺炎确诊患者今日治愈出院". 中国新闻网. Archived from the original on 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  3. Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  4. Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  5. "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  6. "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  7. "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  8. "西藏挺住！西藏启动二级响应". Archived from the original on 2020-01-27. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  9. "西藏全部景区暂停接待游客". Archived from the original on 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  10. "【武漢肺炎】西藏關閉所有旅遊景區 入藏者須先隔離觀察14日". 明報新聞網. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  11. "西藏启动重大突发公共卫生事件I级响应". 人民日报. 2020-01-29. Archived from the original on 2020-01-29. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  12. "最新发布：我区发现首例新型冠状病毒感染的肺炎疑似病例_西藏自治区卫生健康委员会". wjw.xizang.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2020-01-29. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  13. "Tibet's 920 Virus-Free Days End With Four New Covid Cases". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
  14. "China's Tibet region faces rare COVID flareup, fresh curbs imposed". Reuters. 2022-08-08.
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