Beijing traces all new COVID-19 cases to food market

This photo shows Xinfadi, the largest wholesale market with fruit, vegetable and meat supplies in Beijing, which was closed on June 13, 2020 after new cases of COVID-19 emerged. CHINANEWS.COM via China Daily/Asia News Network

BEIJING – All new 36 domestically transmitted cases of coronavirus infection in the Chinese capital are linked to a large wholesale market of fruits, vegetables and meat, an official said on Sunday.

Beijing reported the 36 new cases along with a new asymptomatic case on Saturday, according to the municipal health commission. On Friday, it reported six new confirmed cases.

Addressing a press conference Sunday, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing center for disease control and prevention, said that all the confirmed cases are related to the Xinfadi market in the southern part of the capital.

Pang gave a detailed description of each case, showing the patients either worked at the market or had direct or indirect exposure to the market.

More tests crucial

Beijing has demanded that hospitals offer more tests to screen fever patients for novel coronavirus infections as the city began to register new cases after a weeks-long lull.

All hospitals are required to perform nucleic acid and antibody tests, a CT scan and a routine blood test on patients with a fever, Gao Xiaojun, spokesperson for Beijing’s health commission, said at a press conference on Sunday

The city had previously made nucleic acid tests compulsory for patients visiting fever clinics.

Fever clinics are prohibited from turning away patients. They must monitor patient numbers and report to authorities if an abnormal surge is detected, he said.

The official also said hospitals are required to beef up the protection of medical workers, disinfect facilities and screen medics at hospitals that have received COVID-19 patients.

The string of measures were rolled out after Beijing confirmed one new COVID-19 case on Thursday, according to Gao. Xinhua