8 train passengers test positive for COVID-19

Eight passengers on a train that started from Lhasa, Tibet and arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, tested positive for COVID-19 after they disembarked at different stations.

The train, Z22, had 10 stops along its 40-hour journey, passing through several provinces, Beijing Daily reported.

As of Thursday, six cities in three provinces had reported a total of eight positive cases. All were infected on the train from Lhasa to Beijing on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, according to local authorities on COVID-19 prevention and control.

Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, reported two positive cases on Thursday. The two people got off the train at Shijiazhuang North Railway Station on Wednesday and tested positive on Thursday morning.

Cangzhou, Hebei, reported two asymptomatic carriers on Wednesday. Both had also exited the train in Shijiazhuang and went to Cangzhou by taxi.

Hengshui and Handan in Hebei reported one positive case, respectively, on Thursday.

Jincheng, in neighboring Shanxi province, found a positive case on Wednesday night. That person got off the train in Taiyuan, Shanxi's capital, and went back to Jincheng.

Zaozhuang city in Shandong province reported an asymptomatic carrier on Wednesday. The person got off the train in Shijiazhuang and transferred to Zaozhuang.

Some other cities in Hebei, including Tangshan, have released notices to find infected train passengers to reduce transmission risk.