Beijing records more new COVID-19 cases

Beijing recorded four new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, nine positive cases from preliminary nucleic acid testing and one case showing positive in confirmatory test between 4 pm and 10 pm on Friday, according to Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention at a news conference Friday night.

Because the confirmed cases reported on Friday involved a wide range of people, including students, tour groups for seniors, and interior decorators, the authority expects the risk of infection to be high in the coming days, she said.

One of four confirmed cases involved a student in the Chaoyang district of the capital, and the nine positive cases in preliminary nucleic acid testing were all classmates of that student.

The school is now locked down, and all students and workers will take nucleic acid tests.

The scenic spots in the Pinggu district of the capital that were visited by a tourist who tested positive have been closed.

The city's top epidemic control and prevention work group held two meetings presided over by Beijing Party Secretary Cai Qi on Friday. It said the school with positive results must suspend on-campus classes and that the authority will take care of the students under centralized quarantine.

Family members accompanying the students during their quarantine have also been urged to take preventive measures.

The authorities will also strengthen the management of the interior decoration and tourist groups, to avoid the potential for additional infection.