Beijing in ‘Emergency Mode’ After New COVID-19 Cluster Discovered at Market

BEIJING (Sputnik) - The Chinese capital is in the "emergency mode" amid the new COVID-19 cluster at the Xinfadi, the largest wholesale market in the city, Xu Hejian, spokesperson for the municipal government and director of its information office, said on Sunday.

"Yesterday [Saturday] morning, the Beijing COVID-19 response centre held the 68th meeting, during the meeting, it was acknowledged that confirmed cases of coronavirus infection were detected in the city over the past few days, and besides, they are all related to the wholesale market, Beijing already entered an emergency mode," Xu said during a press conference.

Xu added that it was essential to prevent the cluster from growing further in order to not let the pandemic to spread.

Earlier in the day, China registered 57 new coronavirus cases, the largest day rise in almost two months, and 36 of all new cases were connected to the Beijing market.

The authorities closed Xinfadi on Saturday after authorities discovered 46 asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers linked to the market following mass testing. Moreover, the lockdown was reimposed in the Fengtai of the capital, where the market is located.

The city authorities have said that all people who work at Xinfadi or visited the place since May 30 will take nucleic acid tests to detect if they are infected with COVID-19.