Hainan starts to fly back stranded tourists eligible for leaving home in batches

符合回家条件的滞留游客开始分批次乘飞机离开海南

First batch of stranded tourists leave Sanya, South China's Hainan Province by plane on August 9, 2022. Photo: CFP

2022年8月9日，首批滞留海南游客乘坐飞机离开三亚。图片源自CFP

Stranded tourists in the suddenly Omicron-hit South China's Hainan Province eligible for leaving the province started to be sent back in batches to their hometowns on Tuesday afternoon, with the first batch returning to Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province on a chartered flight.

周二下午，在突然遭受新冠病毒奥密克戎袭击的中国海南省，符合回家条件的滞留游客开始分批次返回家乡，第一批游客乘坐包机返回位于中国西北部的陕西省西安市。

The epidemic prevention and control authority in Hainan announced at a routine press conference on Tuesday afternoon that the first batch of 125 tourists stranded in Sanya, known as the "Hawaii of China" and one of the most famous tourism destinations in China, took off from the Sanya Phoenix International Airport on a chartered flight at 4:28 pm, heading for their hometown in Xi'an.

周二下午，海南省疫情防控管理部门在例行新闻发布会上宣布，首批滞留在素有“中国夏威夷”之称、中国最著名旅游目的地之一三亚的125名游客于下午4时28分乘坐包机从三亚凤凰国际机场起飞，返回家乡西安。

On Tuesday, the local authorities started to organize stranded tourists eligible for leaving to leave the city in batches by plane, and the first batch of tourists allowed to go were all evaluated and met the relevant epidemic prevention requirements.

周二，当地部门开始组织符合回乡条件的滞留游客分批次乘飞机离开海南，首批获准返回家乡的游客经过评估，均符合相关防疫要求。

The sudden flare-up in Hainan caused by the Omicron BA5.1.3 variant started from the central fishing port of Yazhou district in Sanya, and around 180,000 tourists were stranded in the province as of Sunday.

这场由奥密克戎BA5.1.3变种引起的新冠病毒在海南的突然爆发始于三亚市崖州区中心渔港，截至周日，约有18万游客滞留海南。

Hainan reported 40 new local infections on Tuesday at noon, bringing cumulative infections to 1,899, including 1,558 infections in Sanya.

截至周二中午，海南报告40例新增本土新冠病毒感染病例，累计感染病例达到1899例，其中三亚1558例。

The flare-up that started in Sanya has spread to a dozen cities and counties in the province, leaving 268 regions classified as high-risk and 167 as medium-risk as of Tuesday morning.

疫情爆发于三亚，如今已蔓延至海南省的十几个市县，截至周二上午，海南有268个地区被列为高风险地区，167个地区被列为中风险地区。

A tourist from Shanghai who asked for anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday that she is staying at a hotel in Sanya near the airport and living on take-out meals every day.

周二，一位不愿透露姓名的来自上海的游客向《环球时报》透露，她住在三亚机场附近的一家酒店，一日三餐依靠外卖。

She booked a ticket for a flight back to Shanghai on Thursday and hoped that she could fly smoothly soon.

她订了周四回上海的机票，希望能很快顺利返回上海。

According to the new regulations, in cities, counties and districts without an epidemic, if there are no positive cases identified in tourist groups or their hotels within a seven-day period, or individual tourists with no symptoms such as fever, dry cough, loss of smell or muscle soreness within three days, they can leave the province with two negative nucleic acid testing results within 48 hours.

根据最新规定，7天内，在未发生疫情的市、县、区的旅游团或其所在酒店未查出阳性病例，或3天内无发热、干咳、嗅觉丧失或肌肉酸痛等症状的游客，凭48小时内2次核酸检测结果阴性证明可离开海南。

In low-risk areas, the requirement for leaving the province is negative nucleic acid testing results three times within 72 hours.

低风险地区人员出省须持72小时内3次核酸检测结果阴性证明。

A public relations specialist surnamed Shang from Grand Hyatt in Haitang district, Sanya, told the Global Times on Tuesday that despite no stranded tourists in her hotel, which was still under the static management, was arranged to send back to their hometowns on Tuesday, the local epidemic prevention authority has already collected personal information of the stranded tourists in the hotel and the hotel will cooperate with the following up arrangements accordingly.

周二，三亚海棠区君悦酒店的一位尚姓公关工作人员向《环球时报》透露，尽管她所在的酒店仍处于静态管理状态，但周二依然没有安排滞留游客回乡，但当地防疫部门已经收集了滞留游客的个人信息，酒店将据此配合后续安排。

However, some tourists raised concerns over the possible changes in policies.

然而，一些游客对政策可能发生的变化表示担忧。

A tourist surnamed Liu from Taiyuan, capital of North China's Shanxi Province, told the Global Times on Tuesday that a total of seven people from her family and that of her friend had been stranded in Hainan since August 1.

周二，一名来自中国北方山西省太原市的刘姓游客告诉《环球时报》记者，自8月1日以来，她的家人和朋友共有7人滞留海南。

Four adults and three infants aged three to four years old first traveled to Sanya but rushed to Haikou city in Hainan last Friday in the hope of leaving the province from there due to the sudden flare-up.

起初，四名成年人和三名年龄在三至四岁的小孩本打算前往三亚，但由于突发疫情，上周五他们匆忙前往海南省海口市，希望从海口离开。

However, frequently changing requirements on the validity period of nucleic acid testing results led them to cancel flights three times.

然而，对核酸检测结果有效期时间的频繁变更，导致他们三次取消航班。

To her relief, local volunteers contacted her on Tuesday afternoon and brought her children formula powder. "I appreciate the kindness of the people of Hainan and expect the local authorities to arrange our return as soon as possible," Liu said.

令她欣慰的是，周二下午，当地志愿者联系了她，为她的孩子送来奶粉。“感谢海南人民的好意，希望海南政府可以尽快安排我们返回家乡，”刘说。

Haikou also issued on Tuesday a notice of citywide static management from 6 am to 11 pm on Wednesday.

周二，海口市也发布了周三早上6点至晚上11点全市静态管理的通知。