Officials provide update on Daxing district virus situation

The recent cluster of COVID-19 cases in Beijing's southern Daxing district is not related to the previously-reported cases in the northwestern Shunyi district, municipal government spokesman Xu Hejian said at a news conference on Thursday afternoon.

On Wednesday, Beijing reported two local cases and one asymptomatic case - all from Ronghui residential community, where 10 confirmed cases were found since Sunday according to Pang Xinghuo, deputy head of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Han Xinxing, executive deputy head of Daxing district, said the district has collected around 1.56 million samples for nucleic acid testing between Sunday and 2 pm Thursday, which has basically covered all residents in Daxing. Altogether 1,986 medical staff have participated in the mass testing work.

Daxing reported its first case on Sunday and swiftly started testing for nearby residents and close contacts.

The district announced on early Wednesday morning the authority would start nucleic acid testing for all residents in the area in order to control and prevent the virus' spread.