Parts of Beijing on lockdown after major new COVID-19 outbreak; fear of second wave after new confirmed cases appear for the first time in more than 50 days

Authorities in China have locked down areas surrounding Beijing’s largest wholesale food market after more than 50 people tested positive for COVID-19, according to a report from AFP. China’s capital had gone 50 days without reporting a new local case.

Affected areas include major seafood and produce market and several residential complexes. A total of 53 people out of 517 tested at the Xinfadi market tested positive for Covid-19, a district official said. None were displaying symptoms.

Lockdowns have been imposed in 11 nearby neighborhoods, while 10,000 market staff will be tested. The authorities also want to test everyone who has had recent contact with the market as well as those living in the district surrounding it. These are the first new confirmed cases in Beijing for more than 50 days.

“In accordance with the principle of putting the safety of the masses and health first, we have adopted lockdown measures for the Xinfadi market and surrounding neighbourhoods,” Chu Junwei, a district official, told a briefing.

Update: According to South China Morning Post, Beijing’s Fengtai district has launched “wartime-like control measures” following a spike in novel coronavirus cases centred around a major wholesale market called Xinfadi. All six confirmed Covid-19 cases reported on June 12, 2020, were in relation to the Xinfadi market. Throat swabs from 45 people, out of 517 tested at the market, had also tested positive for the virus without showing any symptoms.

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