Ian Hamlinton, a South African native who runs a hotel in Yangshuo county, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has joined the local volunteer team to help promote the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus since the epidemic's outbreak.

Ten years ago, Hamlinton came to Jiuxian village, Baisha town of Yangshuo county, and rented six dilapidated houses. After designing and planning, the houses were built into a hotel featuring the traditional residential style of northern Guangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It not only promoted the development of the tourism industry in Yangshuo county, but also bolstered the local economy.

Ian Hamlinton (L) distributes leaflets to a villager. [Photo by Ge Cheng/gxnews.com.cn]

In order to support the county's epidemic prevention and control efforts, hundreds of volunteer service teams have been set up in villages of Baisha town, setting up detection posts in the village's main traffic roads to conduct temperature detection of all incoming and outgoing personnel and vehicles. Hamlinton, as one of the volunteers, helps broadcast and distribute leaflets regarding epidemic prevention and control every day in the village.

Ian Hamlinton checks the temperature of the driver of a passing vehicle at Baisha town, Yangshuo county. [Photo by Ge Cheng/gxnews.com.cn]