Eight top officials from Wangkui county and Huiqi village in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province have been removed from their leading positions due to their failures in COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, according to a statement from the provincial disciplinary watchdog on Tuesday.

Another eight officials have received severe punishment, including warnings or demotions from their posts, the statement said.

COVID-19 cluster infections have occurred in Huiqi village of Huiqi township in Wangkui county since earlier this month. As of Monday, it had reported 172 confirmed cases and 276 asymptomatic carriers since the first asymptomatic carrier was reported on Jan 10 in Wangkui, Liu Yancheng, an official with the provincial health commission, said at a news conference on Tuesday, adding that all cases were in some way connected to Huiqi village.

It showed the serious problems of formalism and bureaucracy, and the leadership in the county and village shouldered the major responsibility, according to a statement from the provincial commission for discipline inspection and the provincial supervisory commission.

The eight top officials removed from their positions include two deputy leaders of Wangkui county, the county's director of the health commission and director of the center for disease control and prevention, and the Party chief, deputy Party chief, deputy head of Huiqi township, and the director of Huiqi village.

The other eight officials who received severe punishment were from departments responsible for epidemic control and prevention in Huiqi village, Huiqi township and Wangkui county.