INNER MONGOLIA

20 in contact with plague patient released

Twenty people who had contact with a bubonic plague patient in Huade county, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, were discharged from quarantine on Saturday. The patient, who is from the region's Xiliin Gol League, is still receiving treatment in Huade County Hospital. The patient is in stable condition, according to medical staff. In addition to the 20 people discharged on Saturday, eight others who had contact with the patient and were also put under quarantine were previously discharged as none showed any symptoms such as fever. Earlier this month, two patients from Xiliin Gol were diagnosed with pneumonic plague in Beijing. No epidemiological association was found between the cases, authorities said.

BEIJING

Annual shantytown renovation target met

China has made steady progress in its housing renovation plan for rundown urban areas, fulfilling the annual target for 2019 in the first 10 months of the year, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said. Construction began on 3 million homes in shantytowns in the first 10 months, surpassing the annual target by 3.8 percent. The government had planned to start renovation on 2.89 million homes in dilapidated urban areas this year. During the January-October period, 1.03 trillion yuan ($147 billion) was invested in the renovation projects, the ministry said.

YUNNAN

13.2 kg of drugs seized; 3 suspects detained

Police in Yunnan province have captured three drug trafficking suspects and seized 13.2 kg of drugs, local authorities said on Saturday. After receiving a tip that drug dealers were trafficking drugs from Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture to the neighboring city of Tengchong on Nov 14, police in Tengchong dispatched a task force to investigate. At around 10 am, police officers intercepted a vehicle in Zhonghe township, Tengchong, carrying the three suspects and 13.2 kg of opium, which they seized. The three suspects have been put under criminal detention. Further investigation is underway.