One confirmed asymptomatic COVID-19 patient detected in Beijing; 204 close contacts are in medical quarantine

Beijing on Friday reported an asymptomatic 24-year-old woman who had visited Xinfadi market, where the COVID-19 new cluster infections occurred, local health authorities said, adding that the woman had also violated the regulations many times during her home quarantine.

A total of 204 close contacts of the patient had been traced and placed under quarantine for medical observation as of 14:00 BJT on Friday, while other contacts are under further investigation and verification.

Through the investigation of the case's trajectory, the local health authorities conducted health monitoring on the general contacts and nucleic acid tests on the close contacts, all of which were negative. The authorities also took 185 environmental samples outside the shopping mall, all of which tested negative.

The authorities carried out comprehensive environmental monitoring on the shopping mall in accordance with the epidemic prevention guidelines, and conducted nucleic acid tests on all businesses, which will be opened to the public as soon as possible after professional assessment, local health authorities said, urging people to strictly abide by home quarantine rules.