A medical worker with the Hanyang district center of disease control takes a throat swab sample for a COVID-19 nucleic acid test from a construction worker on Thursday in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province. The tests will enhance public health security as the city resumes production. Photo: cnsphoto

The manager of a Beijing-based restaurant on Sunday urged all their guests to take nucleic acid tests after a waitress appeared on the list of the latest batch of COVID-19 patients related to the resurgence of the outbreak in Beijing Xinfadi Market.

The waitress showed symptoms of fatigue and body aches on June 8, and visited two hospitals in June 10 and 12. She tested positive and was then confirmed as a coronavirus patient, said the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) at a press briefing on Sunday.  

Located in Fengtai district, the restaurant is about five kilometers from the market. The waitress, who is the sister of the restaurant's manager, visited Xinfadi market on June 4 with the manager to buy some ingredients. 

In addition to the waitress, four other employees of the restaurant are currently under medical observation and isolation, but showing no symptoms, the Red Star News reported. 

The restaurant was temporarily closed after the waitress was confirmed as a COVID-19 carrier. The manager said that due to the epidemic, there have been fewer eat-in consumers and more takeaways. He also wanted to use the media to tell customers who have recently visited the restaurant to get tested as soon as possible.

Beijing authorities are organizing nucleic acid tests for those who had contact with the Xinfadi market or live in nearby residential communities, after the capital reported 36 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases and one silent carrier on Saturday. 

Haidian district released a new guideline on Friday, demanding restaurants to strictly observe rules such as controlling numbers of customers, checking the health status of staff and customers, making sure there is at least one meter between customers and avoiding mass gatherings. 

The Huaxiang subdistrict, where the restaurant and the Xinfadi market are located, was listed as a high-risk region on Sunday, the only such region in China, said Beijing's Health Commission.