Beijing tests food markets after 7 new local cases detected
BEIJING (AP) – City authorities are moving quickly to stem a new outbreak of COVID-19 in Beijing after the discovery of seven cases in the past two days.
The National Health Commission said that six cases were confirmed on Friday. The first case was reported the previous day. They are the first locally transmitted cases in the Chinese capital in more than 50 days.
Chinese media said at least two of the infected people had visited a wholesale market dealing in fresh food. Authorities said all workers at the Xinfadi market were being tested for the coronavirus and also ordered the testing of food and environmental samples from all the city’s wholesale food markets.
Earlier, the city said it would delay the planned reopening of school on Monday for first to third graders in primary school because of the new cases.
The Health Commission said that five imported cases were reported elsewhere in China in the last 24 hours, bringing the daily total to 11 and the nationwide cumulative total to 83,075. The death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.