Eight more COVID-19 cases were detected in Beijing as of 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, all linked to the city's Xinfadi market, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told media at a press conference on Sunday afternoon.

Xinfadi, a large wholesale market that sells fruits, vegetables and meat, is located in Beijing's Fengtai District and has been caught in the spotlight after a new coronavirus cluster was linked to it. Sunday's new coronavirus cases have brought the total number of new COVID-19 cases in Beijing since June 11 to 51.

Beijing reported zero local transmissions for 56 days before June 11.

So far, at least six districts in Beijing have reported confirmed cases, with Fengtai being the hardest hit with 37 cases.

Other districts include Xicheng, Fangshan, Daxing, Haidian and Chaoyang.

Fengtai to test 46,000 residents living near the market

Speaking at the media briefing, an official revealed that 8,186 swab samples had been collected from people who worked at or have been to the market, out of which 5,803 have tested negative for the virus so far. 

Fengtai authorities also pledged to test all 46,000 residents living near the market. 

Since Saturday, 11 communities near the market have activated closed-off management, meaning no one is allowed to enter or exit. 

According to the district official, as of 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, 394 people who came into close contact with people confirmed to have the virus have been traced, 111 of them have been placed in group quarantine. The rest, who are now observing home isolation, will be moved into centralized quarantine. 

Eleven hotels in Fengtai with 1,000 room capacity will be allocated for quarantine use, the official said. 

Level-2 emergency response reinstated in four Beijing districts 

Following the new cluster, Fengtai, Xicheng, Haidian and Shijingshan districts have adjusted their public health emergency response in all communities to level two.

Under the level two response, round-the-clock personnel will be dispatched to every community to check temperatures, inspect and verify health codes, ensure people are not gathering in large groups and monitor the health of residents. 

Meanwhile, the opening of indoor activities such as sports, fitness, and entertainment venues will be temporarily suspended.

Some communities in Chaoyang District also said Sunday that they were returning to level two response measures in light of the outbreak.

Ten areas across Beijing upgrade risk level

Ten areas in four districts in Beijing upgraded their COVID-19 risk level from Saturday. 

Huaxiang township in Fengtai District is now the only high-risk area in China after its risk level was moved up to the highest on Sunday.  

Read more: 

Part of Beijing's Fengtai District upgrades risk level to highest

51 new cases in four days all related to Xinfadi market 

At an earlier press briefing on Sunday morning, Beijing municipal authorities confirmed 36 patients from Saturday were linked to the Xinfadi wholesale market.

The 36 new cases, 15 males and 21 females, consist of 27 individuals who worked at the market, while the remaining nine were exposed either directly or indirectly to the market.

Three of the six new COVID-19 patients confirmed on Friday worked at the market. The other three visited the facility.

The very first case in the new cluster also visited the market. 

Read more:

COVID-19: Beijing's 36 new cases all linked to Xinfadi market

Why is a wholesale market in Beijing linked to new coronavirus cluster?