The local infections found in south China's Guangzhou City since May 21 have shown a high similarity with the highly contagious COVID-19 variant first detected in India according to their genome sequences, local officials told a press conference on Sunday. 

The capital city of Guangdong Province has expanded COVID-19 screening regions, from Liwan District where most local transmissions were found, to the whole areas of Yuexiu District as well as Haizhu District and key areas in districts of Tianhe, Baiyun and Fanyu, according to local health authorities. 

The city has logged five new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 21 asymptomatic infections since May 21 during a recent resurgence of COVID-19 infections.

(Cover: Residents are waiting to conduct nucleic acid test in a community center in Liwan District, Guangzhou city of Guangdong Province, China, May 26, 2021. /CFP )