Beijing residents queue for virus test after new cases

Beijing has confirmed 59 fresh cases of the new coronavirus after testing 76,499 people, leading to three officials being dismissed for negligence, according to city authorities on Monday.

China's capital has seen a resurgence in coronavirus cases in the past few days, most of which have been linked to the city's biggest wholesale food market.

The Xinfadi market on Beijing's southeast side was closed on Saturday, and 11 neighbouring residential areas were locked down after more then 50 people in the capital tested positive for the virus.

They were the first confirmed cases in 50 days in the city of 20 million people.

As a result, the government ordered containment measures, including traffic controls and "in-depth and comprehensive tracing work."

"The risk of this outbreak spreading is very high, and we must continue to take decisive measures to defend against outside cases and internal resurgences," said Xu Hejian, Director of Beijing Municipal Government Information Office, at Monday's news conference.

The deputy head of the district where the outbreak took place, the Xinfadi manager and a third official were fired for not carrying out their responsibilities properly, added Xiao Sa, a government discipline inspection official.

China had relaxed most of its anti-virus controls after the ruling Communist Party declared victory over the disease in March.