Beijing: Local markets disinfected after virus resurgence

Beijing's Xinfadi Farm Produce Market, the source of a recent resurgence of the new coronavirus, is carrying out comprehensive disinfection, China's Central Television reported. The market was shut down on June 13.

Disinfection has been carried out twice a day since June 15, according to CCTV. More than 5,000 vehicles left at the market have been inspected and 15,000 tons of produce have been disposed of to reduce risks, CCTV said.

The market is located in south west Beijing, covering an area of 112 hectares, supplying the city with over 80% of its agricultural produce. With 328 cases reported since June 11, Beijing has reinstated some prevention measures, suspended classes for schoolchildren and carried out 8.3 million virus tests among the city's more than 20 million residents.

China reported just three new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, all in the capital Beijing where an outbreak last month appears to have run its course amid intense testing and case tracing.

No new deaths were reported, leaving the toll at 4,634 among 83,534 cases of COVID-19 recorded since the virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

The National Health Commission said 421 people are in treatment with another 108 under monitoring for being possible cases or having tested positive for the virus without showing symptoms.

Beijing has begun discharging those infected in the recent outbreak tied to the Xinfadi  food market.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.