Local authorities in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, have punished those responsible for a pregnant woman's accidental miscarriage amid a citywide COVID-19 lockdown, according to the city government's WeChat account on Thursday.

A social media post on Tuesday alleged a woman in Xi'an had a miscarriage after failing to be admitted to Xi'an Gaoxin Hospital in time due to expired nucleic acid test results. 

The post aroused widespread concern. On Wednesday, it was ascertained through investigation of the provincial and municipal health authorities to be an accident caused by negligence.

The Health Commission of Xi'an obliged the hospital to communicate with the patient actively about rehabilitation and compensation, make a public apology and further strengthen hospital management.

Xi'an Gaoxin Hospital Co Ltd has suspended Fan Yuhui, the hospital's general manager, from his job and removed other responsible personnel from office. 

Li Qiang, head of the Xi'an Emergency Medial Center, and Liu Shunzhi, head of the Xi'an Health Commission, were warned by the city's discipline inspection commission for failing to implement the provincial and municipal governments' requirements on emergency medical treatment and treatment for special groups during the outbreak. 

At the city's news conference on COVID-19 on Wednesday, vice-mayor of Xi'an Xu Mingfei said medical institutions in the city are required to set up hotlines and green channels for pregnant women, critically ill patients and those going through dialysis, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

"No medical institutions are allowed to refuse these patients in the name of curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus," he said.

Liang Yuhan contributed to the story.