China Reports 57 New Coronavirus Cases, Its Highest Daily Total in 2 Months

• Thirty-six of the new cases were local transmissions in the country’s capital.
• An outbreak was discovered at Xinfadi market in south Beijing.
• Beijing enters a “wartime emergency mode.”

As of June 14, there are 57 new cases of coronavirus in China – the highest the country has had since April. With this, Beijing enters a “wartime emergency mode” after an outbreak was discovered at a major food market.

China has been able to control its domestic outbreak by implementing strict lockdowns early this year. But after they have brought the numbers down, fresh cases have been sprouting up, this time linked to Xinfadi market in south Beijing.

Police have been deployed at the Xinfadi market in south Beijing.

Thirty-six of the new cases were local transmissions in the country’s capital, according to the National Health Commission (NHC). Local health officials said that all were linked to the market.

Two other domestic infections were reported earlier in northeastern Liaoning province. These were said to close contacts of cases in Beijing.

This development has prompted the country to order new lockdowns, requiring people to stay home in several residential estates near the said market.

Throat swabs were held at the Xinfadi market in the city’s southwestern Fengtai district.

This resulted to 45 people testing positive out of the 517 swabbed, although none were showing symptoms of the virus.

Everyone who works at the market and lives in its surrounding neighborhoods were required to go through testing.

This also applied to other residents who have visited the market since May 30.

Guards are in place 24 hours a day at the market, which claims to be the largest agricultural wholesale market in Asia.

Chu Junwei, a district official, said:

“In accordance with the principle of putting the safety of the masses and health first, we have adopted lockdown measures for the Xinfadi market and surrounding neighborhoods.”

He added that the district is in a “wartime emergency mode.”