Shigatse, Tibet, has been making steady progress in its battle against the latest COVID-19 outbreak, with 10 counties of the city having no high- or medium-risk areas, authorities said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon.

The city reached zero COVID-19 transmission at the community level on Aug 31, said Tashi Samtan, deputy secretary-general of Shigatse.

Based on that situation, the city has made efforts to further control the infection, including disinfecting villages and communities, adjusting the scope of high- and medium-risk regions and lifting the restrictive measures on regions in accordance with scientific criteria.

After the 10 counties had no high- or medium-risk areas, Shigatse was left with 290 high-risk areas and 64 medium-risk areas.

Tashi Samtan stressed that zero infection at the community level does not mean that transmission has been eradicated across society or that residents are free from static management. The city's epidemic prevention and control work is still grim, Tashi Samtan said.

By Daqiong and Palden Nyima in Lhasa