Police guarded the entrance to the Beijing Xinfadi Market on Saturday, after the Chinese capital city reported four new coronavirus cases related to Beijing’s largest food wholesale market.
Photo: greg baker/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesChina’s capital city on Saturday reported four new local coronavirus cases related to its largest food wholesale market, intensifying concerns about a second wave of infections after Beijing recently loosened virus-control measures.
Three of the four people worked at the Beijing Xinfadi Market, while one made several visits to the market to buy food, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, said at a briefing.
The four people tested positive for the new coronavirus on Friday, and one has been classified as a severe case, Ms. Pang said.
After 56 straight days of reporting zero local infections, Beijing on Thursday reported that a 52-year-old man who had symptoms and sought treatment at a local hospital tested positive for the virus.
On Friday, officials disclosed his recent travel history, which included a visit to the market on June 3. That prompted officials to scrutinize the market and nearby areas. Also on Friday, the Fengtai district, where the market is located, reported that two people who worked at a meat-quality testing and research company tested positive for the coronavirus.
Initial screening of the food market showed 40 “environment samples” tested positive for the coronavirus, while 45 people who worked at the market tested positive but had no symptoms as of Saturday, Ms. Pang said. Another person who worked at a separate market but had close contact with some Xinfadi staff also tested positive but had no symptoms, she said. The city temporarily shut the market on Saturday, and said it would test all those who have been to the market since May 30.
Beijing downgraded its emergency response level only a week ago, easing restrictions on wearing masks and temperature checks. The new infections, however, prompted a reversal of some of the newly eased measures, at least in the district where the market is located.
The anxiety has spread to other cities. On Saturday, the Dalian municipal government in northeastern Liaoning province advised its residents to avoid unnecessary travel to Beijing, as the province reported two new asymptomatic cases. Both had close contact with the confirmed cases reported by Beijing on Friday, according to the provincial health commission.
—Liyan Qi contributed to this article.
Write to Josh Chin at josh.chin@wsj.com
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